Kainoa
Below 5 births
2025 SSA
About Kainoa
Intriguing Hawaiian option that combines the sounds two popular boy names—Kai and Noah — but is in a name in its own right, not a newly created compound name — and is pronounced just slightly differently. The name has two possible meanings: from the elements kai and noa it means "sea of freedom", whereas from ka and inoa, it means "the name(sake)".
Kainoa for boys#1716 US
Given to around 100 boys in the US, a large majority born outside of Hawaii. Several contemporary sports players including Kainoa Winston, Kainoa Bailey, and Kainoa Lloyd may have helped the name reach a wider audience.
Kainoa for girls
Unisex Hawaiian name with great potential on the mainland.
Pronounced ky-NOH-uh.
As of October 2026, Kainoa ranked #1716 for boys in US births in 2025 and #16345 for girls in US births in 2024 SSA, peaked at #1563 for boys in 2005 and #9602 for girls in 1980, Nameberry popularity #642 for boys.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,720 | 88 | 45.8 |
| 2015 | #1,697 | 92 | 48 |
| 2016 | #1,566 | 105 | 55.3 |
| 2017 | #1,710 | 92 | 49.7 |
| 2018 | #1,784 | 86 | 47.4 |
| 2019 | #1,705 | 93 | 51.8 |
| 2020 | #1,856 | 80 | 46.3 |
| 2021 | #1,878 | 82 | 46.9 |
| 2022 | #2,027 | 75 | 43 |
| 2023 | #1,686 | 101 | 59 |
| 2024 | #1,698 | 98 | 56.9 |
| 2025 | #1,716 | 95 | 55.6 |
World rankings
Kainoa for boys
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