Rising since 1997, #6,325 for girls today.
Popularity of Makaia since 1997
Babies named Makaia per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 20 |
| 2000s | 159 |
| 2010s | 99 |
| 2020s | 116 |
Meaning & origin
Makaia is a modern and rare name that first appeared on U.S. birth certificates in 1997. Its origins are uncertain, likely a creative coinage drawing from popular sounds and suffixes. The name has gradually increased in usage, reaching its peak rank of 6,325 in the most recent year (2025), with a rarity of 1 in 89,293 births. It has not cracked the top 1,000 names and remains a distinctive choice for parents seeking something uncommon. While no top states have recorded high enough numbers to list, the name's trajectory indicates slow but steady growth, making it a subtle trendsetter in modern naming.
Makaia first appeared in U.S. records in the late 1990s, likely a modern coinage. It may have been formed by blending the popular prefix 'Ma-' with the Hawaiian-derived name Kaia, or it could be a creative respelling of names like Makayla or Maia. The name has no known historical or linguistic roots beyond its recent invention.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mak, Kai
Sibling names for Makaia
Names that share Makaia's style, for a brother or sister.
