Nainoa

Nainoa - A very unique male name

Nainoa appeared on the charts for the first time in 1985 on position #2604. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Nainoa and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Nainoa? 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 Nainoa. The baby boy name Nainoa was given to 12 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2964 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 122,190 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Nainoa peaked in popularity 24 years ago in 2002 on position 1820.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Nainoa, 1-5?

Nainoa is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Nainoa is currently topping the baby name charts in Hawaii at position #77 - and is the least popular in Hawaii at position #77.

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 Nainoa is where you live.

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Nainoa origin and meaning

Hawaiian

Uncertain — a Hawaiian name whose gloss is not securely established here

Nainoa is a Hawaiian name used in the United States since the 1980s, peaking in 2002. Its gloss is not asserted here: Hawaiian names are often given folk meanings online, and none is securely established for Nainoa in name scholarship. Its best-known bearer is the Polynesian navigator Nainoa Thompson.

Origin uncertain

Nainoa is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Nainoa

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

Noah / Noe / Nehemiah / Neo / Noam / Naim / Noa / Niam / Nahum / Naeem /

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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 Nainoa

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 Nainoa 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 Nainoa?

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

ny-NOH-ah · /naɪˈnoʊə/
The data table gives 2 syllables, but the common spoken form has more (nah-ee-NOH-ah); the table figure is reproduced as given.

Around the world

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

Famous bearers

• Nainoa Thompson — Hawaiian master navigator of the Polynesian Voyaging Society (b. 1953) Contemporary

Style

International

Why parents choose it

A Hawaiian name with a voyaging, ocean-going association.

Worth knowing

• Its syllable count and pronunciation are hard to guess from spelling, and the syllable table disagrees with the spoken form.