Boys' name · since 2008
Kawai
Since 2008, U.S. Social Security records show 106 babies named Kawai, peaking in 2020. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #17,036 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #11,450 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 106
- born since 2008
- 2010s
- peak decade
Yes -- Kawai is the #11450 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 106 recorded since 2008.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kawai has been recorded 106 times among boys since 2008, currently ranked #11450 nationally and more common than 18% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 2008 to 2025.
- #17,036 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #11,450 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 106 born since 2008
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kawai ranks #17,036 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #11,450 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 106 born since 2008, peaking in the 2010s.
- #17,036 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #11,450 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 106
- born since 2008
- 2010s
- peak decade
Kawai's 106 recorded births place it above 62.48% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Kawai compares
106 27th percentile among 13,930 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kawai's all-time total is 71% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kawai | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 106 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 16 | 34 | 22,252 |
Kawai's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kawai splits its recorded history at 2019: 59% of all births land in the more recent half, 41% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 2008 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2020 peak of 16 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kawai popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 2008–2025
- Peak year (2020)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 18 years of records
Kawai popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 2016 (Kawai as girls' name)
Kawai by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (53 births, 50% of the file).
2010s was Kawai's strongest decade.
53 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.
Kawai births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
- 2010s
2010s
53 births
- 2020s
2020s
48 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 53 births (50% of all-time use).
Kawai by state
Where Kawai concentrates geographically, total births since 2008
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 4.7% |
5 of 106 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kawai? ▼
Where does Kawai sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Kawai most popular? ▼
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What to do with Kawai's data
- Kawai's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (53 total births) through the 2020s (48) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Kawais (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kawai
Nearby Names Like Kawai
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kawai
Compare Kawai side by side: Kawai vs Kawika Kawai vs Kawan Kawai vs Kawhi
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kawai
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Kawai: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2020)
Similar record span (~17 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, 2008–2025 (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 Kawai 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.