Given name & surname
Kanoa
“one who is free”
Kanoa is used as a given name and a surname. One Hawaiian interpretation is “one who is free.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hawaiian interpretation is “one who is free.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hawaiian.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1971. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kanoa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 878
- 867 boys · 11 girls
- Most popular year
- 2010
- 47 babies
- 2025
- 23
- #4,469 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +29%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 23 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 4,469 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 19.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 47 in 2010. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (7). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 710 as a first name in 2020; 257 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kanoa’s family of names
The ring: spellings.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Kanoa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kainoa
“the” · “name; namesake”
99% boys · 1% girls
Kapono
“a righteous man”
>99% boys
Kekoa
“a warrior”
>99% boys
Keahi
“a fiery woman” · “of the flames”
93% boys · 7% girls
Keaka
“the” · “shadow, reflection”
>99% boys
Kaimana
“diamond”
77% boys · 23% girls
Kamaka
“having a handsome face”
>99% boys
Kaulana
“a well-known young woman”
96% boys · 4% girls