Boy name · Hawaiian
Kekoa
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: the brave oneKekoa is a boy's name that comes from Hawaiian and means "the brave one". It is used in Hawaiian.
- Meaning
- The brave one
- Origin
- Hawaiian
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- keh-KOH-ah (Hawaiian)
Meaning and origin of Kekoa
As a boy's name, Kekoa comes from Hawaiian and means "the brave one". It is used in Hawaiian.
In Hawaiian, say keh-KOH-ah. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Its meaning puts Kekoa on our names that mean strong list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Kekoa on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Kekoa on 3 lists.
“The brave one, the warrior. Say keh-KOH-ah”
From Hawaiian names, hawaiian names for boys
“The warrior; Hawaiian ke koa. Say keh-KOH-ah”
From Strong boy names, boy names that mean brave or bold
“The brave one; Hawaiian. Say keh-KOH-ah”
From Unique boy names, unique boy names from around the world
How popular is Kekoa?
- US rank in 2025
- #2,296
- 61 babies, 36 per million boys
- Best rank
- #1,929 in 2017
- 75 babies that year
- Babies since 1972
- At least 2,053
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 5 per million |
| 1980s | 8 per million |
| 1990s | 15 per million |
| 2000s | 27 per million |
| 2010s | 33 per million |
| 2020s | 36 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,103 | #1,929 | #2,561 | #2,199 | #2,336 | #2,340 | #2,109 | #2,162 | #2,580 | #2,296 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Kekoa
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- KoaBrave, warrior (Hawaiian, boy)
Names spelled like Kekoa
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- KanoaThe free one (Hawaiian, boy)
- KealaThe path (Hawaiian, unisex)
- KeitaEnlightened and big (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
- KekaiThe sea (Hawaiian, boy)
- KentaHealthy and stout (depends on characters) (Japanese, boy)
- KeolaThe life (Hawaiian, boy)
- KeshaShort form of Innokenty, innocent (Latin, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- AmeliaPossibly vigorous, brave (Germanic, girl)
- LeonardoBrave lion (Germanic, boy)
- RicardaBrave ruler (Germanic, girl)
- AndreaManly, brave (Greek, girl)
- AndreasManly, brave (Greek, boy)
- BahadurBrave, valiant (Turkic, boy)
- BernadetteBrave bear (Germanic, girl)
- BernardBrave bear (Germanic, boy)
- BernardoBrave bear (Germanic, boy)
- GerardBrave spear (Germanic, boy)
Middle names for Kekoa
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hawaiian
- KaiThe sea (Hawaiian, unisex)
- AlohaLove, affection (Hawaiian, unisex)
- AukaiSeafarer, sailor (Hawaiian, boy)
- HōkūA star (Hawaiian, unisex)
- ʻIolaniRoyal hawk (Hawaiian, unisex)
- IkaikaStrong, powerful (Hawaiian, boy)
- KahiauGiving generously (Hawaiian, unisex)
- KaimanaA diamond (Hawaiian, unisex)
- KaimiThe seeker (Hawaiian, boy)
- KainoaThe name (Hawaiian, boy)
Kekoa: common questions
What does the name Kekoa mean?
Kekoa comes from Hawaiian and means "the brave one".
Is Kekoa a boy or girl name?
Kekoa is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Kekoa come from?
Kekoa comes from Hawaiian and means "the brave one". Today it is used in Hawaiian.
How do you pronounce Kekoa?
In Hawaiian, say keh-KOH-ah. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Kekoa?
Kekoa ranked #2,296 in the US in 2025, with 61 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Kekoa?
Forms of Kekoa with the same meaning and origin include Koa (Hawaiian).
What middle names go with Kekoa?
Middle names that flow well with Kekoa include Alexander, Archer, Brooks, Christopher and Cyprian. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.