Unisex · #12,301 in 2026

Kiowa

Kiowa or Ǥáuigú people are a Native American tribe and an Indigenous people of the Great Plains of the United States. They migrated southward from western Montana into the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in the 17th and 18th centuries and eventually into the Southern Plains by the early 19th century. In 1867, the Kiowa were forced to a reservation in Southwestern Oklahoma.

Current Rank
#12,301
Peak Rank
#3,559 (1995)
Total Babies
228
5-Yr Trend
-7%
👧 Girl peak #11,801 (70 total)
👦 Boy peak #3,559 (228 total)
👦As Boy Name
1972
First Year
2024
Last Year
1995
Peak Year
#3559
Peak Rank
228
Total Count
31
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1986
First Year
2016
Last Year
2000
Peak Year
#11801
Peak Rank
70
Total Count
12
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kiowa

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Kiowa or Ǥáuigú people are a Native American tribe and an Indigenous people of the Great Plains of the United States. They migrated southward from western Montana into the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in the 17th and 18th centuries and eventually into the Southern Plains by the early 19th century. In 1867, the Kiowa were forced to a reservation in Southwestern Oklahoma.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
1865 Treaty Map As members of the Kiowa-Tanoan language family, the Kiowa at some distant time likely shared an ethnic origin with the other Amerindian nations of this small language family: Tiwa , Tewa , Towa , and others. By historic times, however, the Kiowa lived in a hunter-gatherer economy unlike the sedentary pueblo societies of the others. The Kiowa also had a complex ceremonial life and developed the ' Winter counts ' as calendars. The Kiowa recount their origins as near the Missouri River , and the Black Hills . They knew that they were driven south by pressure from the Sioux . Sitti

The Story of Kiowa

As a girl name

Kiowa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1986, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2000, when 7 Kiowas were born — ranking #11,801 that year. As of 2026, Kiowa ranks #16,210 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 70 Kiowas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Kiowa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1972, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1995, when 18 Kiowas were born — ranking #3,559 that year. As of 2026, Kiowa ranks #12,301 for boys with 5 births, gradually falling (-7%). In total, more than 228 Kiowas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Kiowa

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kiowa is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Kiawah
  • Kiowas
  • Kawa
  • Coala
  • Kilwa
  • Kuja
  • Qwa
  • Kiwa
  • Kayapo
  • Kiha
  • Kailua
  • Coyote

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kiowa

What does the name Kiowa mean?
Kiowa or Ǥáuigú people are a Native American tribe and an Indigenous people of the Great Plains of the United States. They migrated southward from western Montana into the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in the 17th and 18th centuries and eventually into the Southern Plains by the early 19th century. In 1867, the Kiowa were forced to a reservation in Southwestern Oklahoma.
How popular is Kiowa in 2026?
In 2026, Kiowa ranks #12,301 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Kiowa most popular?
Kiowa reached its peak popularity in 1995, ranking #3,559 that year with 18 babies given the name.
Is Kiowa a unisex name?
Yes — Kiowa is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 23% of Kiowas assigned female and 77% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Kiowa?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kiowa include Dolton, Yvan, Kwaku. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Kiowa

Kiowa is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1972 and has accumulated 228 births in the dataset. Kiowa's peak popularity came in 1995 when it ranked #3,559. Use the chart and map above to compare Kiowa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.