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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kaia

Kaia

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Kaia

Pronounced KY-uh /ˈkaɪ.ə/Medium

Meaning: Kaia is far more often a girl's name — a Scandinavian form of Katarina ('pure') and a Hawaiian word for 'the sea.' Here it is recorded for a boy, a clear cross-sex lean, which we flag plainly.Low

In 30 seconds: A two-beat name: Kaia — usually a girl's name ('pure'; 'the sea') (said 'KY-uh'). Usually a girl's name; here used for a boy, which we flag plainly.
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Origin LowScandinavian, Hawaiian
MeaningKaia is far more often a girl's name — a Scandinavian form of Katarina ('pure') and a Hawaiian word for 'the sea.' Here it is recorded for a boy, a clear cross-sex lean, which we flag plainly.
U.S. rank (2020)#11278 ↗ Rising
2020 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 53

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201620012020

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kaia is usually a girl's name (Scandinavian 'pure'; Hawaiian 'the sea'); here a boy's name, a clear cross-sex lean (said 'KY-uh').

It appears only rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare for boys, cross-sex, and soft.

Did you know? Kaia is usually a girl's name — a Scandinavian form of Katarina, 'pure,' and a Hawaiian word for 'the sea' — so its use here for a boy is a clear cross-sex lean, which we flag (said 'KY-uh').
Overall data confidence 36%
References — Kaia — usually a girl's name; Scandinavian 'pure' / Hawaiian 'the sea'; cross-sex here

Variations

KayaCaia

Nicknames

Kai

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kaia…

Kai— the Kai within it
Kaian— a like Kai- name
Kaius— a like Kai- name
Malakai— a like -kai name

Explore names like Kaia

By themesoftcross-sexhawaiianscandinavian

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kaia mean?

Kaia is usually a girl's name (Scandinavian 'pure'; Hawaiian 'the sea'); here it is used for a boy, which we flag.

How do you pronounce Kaia?

It's said KY-uh /ˈkaɪ.ə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kaia a boy or girl name?

Kaia is far more often a girl's name; here it is used for a boy, which we flag plainly.

How popular is Kaia?

Kaia is extremely rare in the U.S. — a deep-tail, newly emerging name.

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