Total births
3,313
Unisex name · since 1971
Kiah
Since 1971, U.S. Social Security records show 3,313 babies named Kiah, peaking in 2002. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2945
- among girls today
- 3,313
- born since 1971
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other girls
3,313 babies have been named Kiah since 1971, making it today's #2945 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kiah has been recorded 3,313 times among girls since 1971, currently ranked #2945 nationally and more common than 83% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2025.
- #2945 among girls today
- 3,313 born since 1971
- 1990s peak decade
- 83% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kiah is currently the #2945 unisex name in America, more common than 83% of girls - 3,313 born since 1971, peaking in the 1990s.
- #2945
- among girls today
- 3,313
- born since 1971
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other girls
Kiah vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#2945
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 83% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Kiah was born in this single decade.
2002
Single peak year
149 babies were named Kiah in 2002 - its busiest year on record.
How Kiah compares
3,313 Top 17% higher than 83% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Kiah's all-time total is 9x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kiah | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,313 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 149 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kiah's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kiah's SSA record in two at 1999 and the more recent half accounts for 62% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 38%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1971, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2002 peak of 149, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kiah at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2002
Current rank
#2,945
Active since
1971
Kiah popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2025
- Peak year (2002)
- 149
- Annual births at peak, across 55 years of records
Kiah popularity over time - boys
265 total births recorded since 1917 (Kiah as boys' name)
Kiah by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Kiah's strongest decade.
1,064 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Kiah births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 62
1970s
62 births
- 1980s 238
1980s
238 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,064 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,052 births
- 2010s
2010s
624 births
- 2020s 273
2020s
273 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 1,064 births (32% of all-time use).
How Kiah compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Kiah's total volume
Kiah vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kiah by state
Where Kiah concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 245 | 7.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 110 | 3.3% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 98 | 3.0% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 90 | 2.7% |
| #5 | New York | | 62 | 1.9% |
| #6 | Washington | | 60 | 1.8% |
| #7 | Minnesota | | 47 | 1.4% |
| #8 | Pennsylvania | | 42 | 1.3% |
California share of Kiah's total US births 7.4%
Even split
245 of 3,313 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 26 reporting states.
Kiah appears in 26 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kiah? ▼
Since 1971, Social Security records show 3,313 babies named Kiah. Today it holds rank #2945 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2002, with 149 births.
When was Kiah most popular? ▼
Kiah was most popular in the 1990s decade with 1,064 total births. The single peak year was 2002.
Where is Kiah most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kiah are California (245 births), Texas (110 births), Ohio (98 births).
Is Kiah a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kiah is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 3,313 births, and as a boy's name it has 265 births.
How long has the name Kiah been used? ▼
Kiah has been recorded in Social Security data since 1971, spanning 55 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Kiah? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kiara, Kiana, Kianna, Kia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Kiah's data
- Kiah's decade-level peak was the 1990s (1,064 total births); usage has since declined to 273 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kiahs (245 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Kiah
Nearby Names Like Kiah
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kiah
Kiara Girl
#238 57,068 births
Kiana Girl
#722 26,694 births
Kianna Girl
#1595 8,747 births
Kia Girl
#12361 7,613 births
Kiarra Girl
#7385 3,832 births
Compare Kiah side by side: Kiah vs Kiara Kiah vs Kiana Kiah vs Kianna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kiah
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, 1971–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kiah: #2945 Unisex Name - 3,313 Births, Peak 2002." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kiah. 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 Kiah 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.