Holding steady, #13,208 for girls today.
Popularity of Khaya since 1993
Babies named Khaya per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 39 |
| 2000s | 97 |
| 2010s | 83 |
| 2020s | 30 |
Meaning & origin
Khaya is a modern American name first recorded in 1993. Its usage has been stable, with a peak in 2014. As of 2025 it ranks 13,208 with 1 in 267,878 births. The name's exact origins are uncertain, but it may draw from the Nguni word for "home" or be a variant of Kaya. Its sound is similar to popular names like Maya and Kaya. Khaya shows a modern, creative naming style without strong regional ties, as no top states are distinctly associated with it.
Khaya is primarily a modern coinage in the United States, first recorded in 1993. It may have roots in the Nguni language group of Southern Africa, where "ikhaya" means "home" or "dwelling," or it could be a variant of the name Kaya, itself of diverse origins including Japanese and Native American. Given the lack of a clear, well-attested derivation, the name's etymology is best described as uncertain.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kaya
Variants: Kaya
Sibling names for Khaya
Names that share Khaya's style, for a brother or sister.
