How to say it
KO · a
/ˈkoʊ.ə/
Masculine
Koa
Warrior, brave
What it means
Hawaiian for 'warrior' or 'brave,' and the name of the prized native koa hardwood.
Koa is a Hawaiian word meaning 'warrior,' 'brave,' or 'fearless,' and also the name of the islands' great hardwood tree, traditionally carved into canoes and weapons. That double sense, fierce and rooted, gives it real weight in a tidy two letters. It has climbed quickly on the mainland among parents after short, strong, nature-touched names. It pairs cleanly with Kai.
Popularity over time
peaked at #269 in 2025, currently #269 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Carries both meanings at once: the warrior and the koa hardwood used for canoes.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Koa the Hawaiian word for warrior and the islands' prized hardwood tree
Spelling variants
- Koah
Names with the same feeling
See Koa from another angle
By meaning