Unisex name · since 1914
Kaoru
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 168 babies named Kaoru, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #14,016 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 168
- born since 1914
- 1920s
- peak decade
Kaoru is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 168 have been recorded since 1914.
Kaoru has 168 recorded births among boys since 1914, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 1999.
- #14,016 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 168 born since 1914
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kaoru ranks #14,016 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 168 born since 1914, peaking in the 1920s.
- #14,016 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 168
- born since 1914
- 1920s
- peak decade
Kaoru's 168 recorded births place it above 69.12% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Hawaii.
Kaoru's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Kaoru's full recorded timeline at 1922, 45% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 55% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1914, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1921 peak of 17 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Kaoru popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–1999
- Peak year (1921)
- 17
- Annual births at peak, across 86 years of records
Kaoru popularity over time - girls
83 total births recorded since 1915 (Kaoru as girls' name)
Kaoru by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (101 births, 60% of the file).
1920s was Kaoru's strongest decade.
101 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 60% of all-time use.
Kaoru births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
61 births
- 1920s
1920s
101 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 101 births (60% of all-time use).
Kaoru by state
Where Kaoru concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hawaii | | 102 | 60.7% |
| #2 | California | | 17 | 10.1% |
102 of 168 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kaoru? ▼
Where does Kaoru sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Kaoru most popular? ▼
Where is Kaoru most popular? ▼
Is Kaoru a unisex name? ▼
How long has the name Kaoru been used? ▼
What names are similar to Kaoru? ▼
What to do with Kaoru's data
- Kaoru's decade-level peak was the 1920s (101 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Hawaii records the most Kaorus (102 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Hawaii names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kaoru
Nearby Names Like Kaoru
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kaoru
Compare Kaoru side by side: Kaoru vs Kao Kaoru vs Kaos Kaoru vs Kaori
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Kaoru: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1921)
Similar record span (~85 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1914–1999 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Kaoru draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.