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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kawaii

Kawaii

♀ Girl

Pronounced kah-WY-ee /kɑːˈwaɪ.i/Medium

Meaning: From the Japanese kawaii, 'cute; adorable; lovable' — the everyday word behind Japan's culture of cuteness. Used here as a given name; we state this plainly and honestly.Low

In 30 seconds: A playful word-name: Kawaii is the Japanese word for 'cute; adorable' (said 'kah-WY-ee'). We state this plainly.
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Origin MediumJapanese
MeaningFrom the Japanese kawaii, 'cute; adorable; lovable' — the everyday word behind Japan's culture of cuteness. Used here as a given name; we state this plainly and honestly.
U.S. rank (2017)#17140 ↗ Rising
2017 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2005
Total births (all-time)≈ 35

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200820052017

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

Kawaii, Japanese for 'cute; adorable,' is a familiar everyday word rather than a traditional given name — used here as a name, which we note plainly. Rare in the U.S. (said 'kah-WY-ee').

As a given name it appears only very rarely in the U.S. Rare, playful, and word-based.

Did you know? Kawaii is the Japanese word for 'cute; adorable; lovable' — the everyday term at the heart of Japan's culture of cuteness. It is used here as a given name, which we state plainly and honestly (said 'kah-WY-ee').
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Kawaii — Japanese word 'cute; adorable'; used as a given name

Variations

KawaiKawayaKawae

Nicknames

KawaWai

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kawaii…

Hana— a like Japanese girl's name
Sakura— a like Japanese word-name
Yuki— a like Japanese name
Mika— a like short Japanese pick

Explore names like Kawaii

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kawaii mean?

Kawaii is the Japanese word for 'cute; adorable; lovable.' It is used here as a given name, which we state plainly.

How do you pronounce Kawaii?

It's said kah-WY-ee /kɑːˈwaɪ.i/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Kawaii a boy or girl name?

Kawaii is used here as a girl's name.

How popular is Kawaii?

Kawaii is a very rare given name in the U.S.

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