Given name & surname
Kekoa
“a warrior”
Kekoa is used as a given name and a surname. One Hawaiian interpretation is “a warrior.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hawaiian interpretation is “a warrior.”
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 1972. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kekoa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,075
- 2,053 boys · 22 girls
- Most popular year
- 2017
- 75 babies
- 2025
- 61
- #2,296 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −1%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 61 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,296 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 1.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 75 in 2017. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (17). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,541 as a first name in 2020; 150 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.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Kekoa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kainoa
“the” · “name; namesake”
99% boys · 1% girls
Kanoa
“one who is free”
96% boys · 4% girls
Kaimana
“diamond”
77% boys · 23% girls
Nakoa
“brave”
92% boys · 8% girls
Keanu
“resembling a cool mountain breeze” · “of the mountain breeze”
99% boys · 1% girls
Makoa
“brave”
99% boys · 1% girls
Koa
“a fearless man”
90% boys · 10% girls
Keao
“the” · “daylight”
>99% boys