I am in love with the name [name_m]Koa[/name_m] for our son. It has a strong, yet warm and soft sound, I love the meaning, I love that it’s also a nature name, and I love that it is short and sweet like our 4 other boys’ names. However, with us not being Hawaiian (we live in Southern [name_u]California[/name_u], US with no Hawaiian heritage) would it be seen as weird?
Because of my interest in the name, I now seem to see it everywhere. It’s suggested a lot in “o” name lists, soft boy names, nature names, etc, and it is climbing quickly in usage in the US, cracking the top 1000 a few years ago. But just because it’s gaining relative popularity doesn’t mean it’s mainstream, and even if it were mainstream, I don’t know if it makes it appropriate to use if we have no Hawaiian heritage.
What do you think? Would you give the side-eye to someone who isn’t Hawaiian naming their son [name_m]Koa[/name_m]?
I think it would be fine. I’ve seen the name [name_u]Kai[/name_u] used by people with no connection to [name_m]Hawaii[/name_m], and I haven’t thought twice about it.
I think that [name_m]Koa[/name_m] is just beautiful. It’s one of those names that’s totally boyish & strong yet has a gentle feeling at the same time. It’s really simple, yet totally not over done. I think that a lot of Nameberry people like it, but I’ve never heard it in real life. I’m not sure where you’re located, but it hasn’t cracked the top 1,000 in the U.S. yet. I don’t for see it becoming too trendy at all.
I love [name_m]Koa[/name_m]! I think it’s familiar enough that it could easily work on a non-hawaiian child and i think the fact its a nature name helps with that.
I love the name [name_m]Koa[/name_m]! I have some Hawaiian roots myself and upon hearing it I would know automatically that it’s a Hawaiian name, but I wouldn’t be all that shocked by someone without Hawaiian heritage using it. That being said, do you have any personal ties to [name_m]Hawaii[/name_m] such as a memorable vacation? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to go there? I think if you have some sort of connection in that way you can always dispell raised eyebrows. If you still aren’t sure about it as a first name, maybe you could use it as a middle.
Also, [name_m]Koa[/name_m] is a pretty low key and familiar Hawaiian name that sounds very similar to popular [name_f]English[/name_f] names ([name_u]Cody[/name_u], [name_u]Noah[/name_u] etc). If you wanted to name your kid Kamehamea, then I think we’d have more of a problem haha!
I LOVE the name [name_m]Koa[/name_m], I’m British and it’s basically unheard of here, it’s been on my list for a while. I wouldn’t worry about not being Hawaiian though, people are always taking inspiration from other cultures, I personally think its a lovely thing to do!