Kainoa

Kainoa - A very unique male name

Kainoa appeared on the charts for the first time in 1975 on position #1845. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Kainoa and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Kainoa? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Kainoa. The baby boy name Kainoa was given to 61 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1574 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 24,037 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kainoa peaked in popularity 23 years ago in 2003 on position 1293.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Kainoa, 1-5?

Kainoa is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kainoa is currently topping the baby name charts in Hawaii at position #59 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,027.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Kainoa is where you live.

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Kainoa origin and meaning

Hawaiian

Uncertain — Hawaiian elements kai, 'sea,' and noa, 'free, without restriction,' are usually proposed, but the traditional sense is disputed

Kainoa is a traditional Hawaiian name whose elements suggest the sea and freedom, though Hawaiian naming scholars note its older sense is not securely documented. It has appeared in the US data since 1975, mostly at low levels, and is rising again. Baby-name sites often print a single confident meaning for it; the honest position is that the construction is probable, not proven.

Origin uncertain

Kainoa is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Kainoa, pop culture references for the name Kainoa and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Kainoa

We've found the following names that sound similar to Kainoa, sorted by popularity.

Kenny / Keegan / Kim / Ken / Kane / Keenan / Kayson / Kason / Kian / Kasen /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Kainoa

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Kainoa a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Kainoa?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

ky-NOH-uh · /kaɪˈnoʊə/
Pronunciations vary, and the site's syllable table gives 2 while the usual spoken form has 3 syllables.

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: KaiNoa

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

International

Why parents choose it

Kainoa draws parents looking for a genuine Hawaiian name with a flowing, ocean-adjacent sound and a distinctive profile.

Worth knowing

• Expect mispronunciation outside Hawaii, and spellings like Kainoa are often misread as two separate names.