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Kawika as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Kawika

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The baby name Kawika is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced kah-VEE-kah (approx. /kəˈviːkə/).

Kawika is Hawaiian in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Hawaiian
Pronunciation: kah-VEE-kah (approx. /kəˈviːkə/)

What is the meaning of the name Kawika ?

The baby name Kawika is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced kah-VEE-kah (approx. /kəˈviːkə/).

Kawika is Hawaiian in Origin.

Kawika is the Hawaiian form of David, ultimately from the Hebrew Dawid/David meaning "beloved." Adapted to Hawaiian phonology - no d or v sounds and syllables end in vowels - the name shifts d→k, v→w, and adds a final -a, yielding Ka-wi-ka. It has been common since the 19th-century Hawaiian Bible and missionary era, when biblical names entered local use.

Usage carries strong cultural resonance: King David Kalakaua (1836–1891) inspired the famous hula "Kawika," and the name remains popular in Hawaii and among the diaspora, sometimes used unisex but typically masculine. Notable bearers include musician Kawika Kahiapo and Olympian Kawika Shoji. Closely related forms are David (English), Davi (Portuguese), Davide (Italian), David (Hungarian: David/David with accent often written as David), Dawid (Polish), Davit (Georgian), Daoud/Daud (Arabic), and the Welsh Dafydd and Dewi. Meaning centers on "beloved," with nuances of friendship or dear one echoed across these cognates.

Kawika has the following similar or variant Names

Kawika – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
BH 0 #587 1 17,937
United States Boys 2024 #881 12 7,044
MX Boys 0 #1,033 1 16,355
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
MX Girls 0 #1,267 1 17,781

Kawika is popular in 5 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
BH
JP
MA
MX

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People also ask about Kawika

Kawika is predominantly a boy's name.
Kawika is a 3 syllable name, pronounced kah-VEE-kah (approx. /kəˈviːkə/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Kaʻawika, Kaawika, Kaveeka and Kawi.
Across languages, Kawika has these equivalents: David (Hebrew/English), Dávid (Hungarian), Davide (Italian), Davi (Portuguese), Dawid (Polish).
Somewhat — Kawika ranked #881 in United States in 2024, placing it just outside the most common names.
Kawika's popularity is declining significantly. It moved from #868 in 2014 to #881 in 2024 in United States.