boy's name · in the US
Koa
KOH-a
- Origin Hawaiian
- Gender Boy (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 10,529
the United States
#269
2025 births
Koa is a boy's name of Hawaiian origin meaning "warrior" or "brave." It is also the name of Hawaii's largest native tree, whose timber was used for war canoes — so the two senses are one.
- Koa is a name of Hawaiian origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 1,413 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 2,346 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1978.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Koa Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1970s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 12 |
| 1980s | 34 |
| 1990s | 96 |
| 2000s | 481 |
| 2010s | 1,797 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 6,128 |
What Koa Means
Koa means brave, bold or a warrior, and equally the koa tree. The tree took the warrior's name because its wood built the canoes and weapons, so the meanings are not separate.
Where Koa Comes From
Koa is the Hawaiian word for a warrior and for Acacia koa, the largest native tree of the islands. The connection is direct: koa timber was the material for war canoes, paddles and surfboards, and the tree was named for the use rather than the reverse. The word belongs to a wider Polynesian family — toa in Māori and Samoan carries the same warrior sense. Its use as a given name outside Hawaii is recent and largely American.
Koa in Use
Birth records show Koa peaking in 2025 and still rising, at 199 in England and Wales against 269 in the United States. It first appears in birth records in 1978. It is one of very few Polynesian names on record to be climbing in both markets at once — Maeva, which has its own page, reached Britain by an entirely different route through France.
How Popular Is Koa?
In 2025, Koa was given to 1,413 babies in the United States, ranking #269 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Koa Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Koa
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Koa Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Koa over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Koa is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Boys' 10% girls · 7,197 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 6% girls · 1,194 babies
- Canada Both 11% girls · 441 babies
- Ireland Boys' 0% girls · 97 babies
- Scotland Boys' 0% girls · 75 babies
- Northern Ireland Boys' 0% girls · 55 babies
How to Say Koa
- Pronunciation KOH-a /ˈkəʊə/
Koa in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Koa
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Koa — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Koa
What does the name Koa mean?
Koa means "warrior" or "brave" in Hawaiian, and is also the name of the islands' largest native tree.
Why does Koa mean both warrior and tree?
The tree was named for the warrior. Koa timber built war canoes, paddles and weapons.
Is Koa related to the Māori toa?
Yes — the same Polynesian root, carrying the same warrior sense.
How popular is the name Koa?
In 2025, Koa was given to 1,413 babies in the United States, ranking #269 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Koa a girl's or a boy's name?
Koa is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Koa?
Koa has 2 syllables.
When was Koa most popular?
Koa peaked in 2025, when 1,413 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Koa a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Koa currently ranks #160 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.