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Home › Baby Names Directory › Makaio

Makaio

♂ Boy

Pronounced mah-KY-oh /mɑˈkaɪ.oʊ/Medium

Meaning: the Hawaiian form of Matthew, ultimately from Hebrew meaning 'gift of God'Medium

In 30 seconds: Makaio is the Hawaiian form of Matthew, tracing back through that name to a Hebrew sense of 'gift of God'.
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Origin MediumHawaiian
Meaningthe Hawaiian form of Matthew, ultimately from Hebrew meaning 'gift of God'
U.S. rank (2025)#2137 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births68 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2024
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,337

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202419982025

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

Makaio renders Matthew into Hawaiian sound and spelling, keeping the older meaning intact: a 'gift of God'. The chain runs from Hebrew through Matthew into this island form, which reshapes the consonants into open, vowel-rich syllables. It is the same name in Hawaiian dress.

Set beside relatives like Matthew, Matia, and Matevos, Makaio shows how far one name can stretch across languages while holding onto its meaning.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Makaio is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name - Makaio — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

MatevosMatiaMattaniahMatthewMattithiah

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Makaio…

Matthew— the name Makaio is the Hawaiian form of, sharing its 'gift of God' meaning
Makoa— a fellow Hawaiian choice
Keoni— shares Makaio's Hawaiian roots
Kekoa— a similarly popular pick
Kaimana— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Makaio

By themehawaiian
By meaningGod / DivineGift / Blessing

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Makaio mean?

Makaio is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Hawaiian tradition.

How do you pronounce Makaio?

It's commonly said mah-KY-oh /mɑˈkaɪ.oʊ/.

Is Makaio a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Makaio is used as a boy name.

How popular is Makaio?

In 2024, Makaio ranked #1473 in the U.S. for boys, with 123 births recorded.

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