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Hoku vs Kai

Which is more popular?
Kai is more popular than Hoku today: about 3,768 US babies were given the name Kai in 2025, compared with 0 named Hoku.
HokuKai
Meaning Star sea
Origin hawaiian hawaiian
Gender Unisex Unisex
Pronunciation HOH-koo KY
Syllables 2 1
First appeared01926
Peak year2013 (5)2022 (5,374)
In 202503,768
TrendRisingRising
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Hoku Kai
19401960198020002020

Source: US Social Security Administration.

Births by decade

DecadeHokuKai
2020s 10 26,927
2010s 5 25,984
2000s 0 12,620
1990s 0 2,640
1980s 0 958
1970s 0 592
1960s 0 341
1950s 0 148
1940s 0 10
1930s 0 6
1920s 0 6

What does Hoku mean?

The Hawaiian word 'hoku' (properly 'hoku') meaning 'star', recorded in the Pukui-Elbert dictionary. It appears in compounds such as Hokulani ('heavenly star') and in Polynesian star-navigation terms.

What does Kai mean?

Most commonly taken from Hawaiian 'kai', meaning 'sea' or 'ocean'. The same short sound exists independently in several languages (Japanese, Scandinavian forms of names like Kajus, and others), but its modern Western popularity leans on the Hawaiian 'sea' meaning.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hoku or Kai more popular?

Kai is more popular than Hoku today: about 3,768 US babies were given the name Kai in 2025, compared with 0 named Hoku.

What is the difference between Hoku and Kai?

Hoku means Star (hawaiian origin), while Kai means sea (hawaiian origin).

Which name is older, Hoku or Kai?

In US records, Hoku first appears in 0 and Kai in 1926, so Hoku has the longer recorded history.