Total births
168
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.
- 168
- total births
- 1914–1999
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 60%
- born in that 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.
- 168 total births
- 1914–1999 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 60% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
168 boys have been named Kaoru since 1914, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1999.
- 168
- total births
- 1914–1999
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 60%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
60% of everyone ever named Kaoru was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
17 babies were named Kaoru in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 1999Peak year
1921
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1914
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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% |
Hawaii share of Kaoru's total US births 60.7%
Even split
102 of 168 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kaoru? ▼
Kaoru has been given to 168 babies in the U.S. since 1914, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1999. 17 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Kaoru most popular? ▼
Kaoru was most popular in the 1920s decade with 101 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Kaoru most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kaoru are Hawaii (102 births), California (17 births).
Is Kaoru a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kaoru is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 168 births, and as a girl's name it has 83 births.
How long has the name Kaoru been used? ▼
Records for Kaoru go back to 1914, giving 86 years of history through 1999.
What names are similar to Kaoru? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kao, Kaos, Kaori, Kaon, and 1 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare 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
Kao Boy
475 births
Kaos Boy
#8793 93 births
Kaori Boy
73 births
Kaon Boy
33 births
Kaoir Boy
13 births
Compare Kaoru side by side: Kaoru vs Kao Kaoru vs Kaos Kaoru vs Kaori
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kaoru: Baby Name Since 1914 - 168 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kaoru. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 June 2026.