Lopaka
Of Hawaiian origin, meaning "brave and adventurous."
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the first name Lopaka. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lopaka today is around 29 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lopaka births was 1997 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lopaka. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
131
~ 1 in 2,616,445 Americans
Peak year
1997
16 babies that year
Average age
29
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,316
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Lopaka: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lopaka from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 46 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lopaka by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lopaka during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lopakas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Lopaka
The name Lopaka has its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is believed to have originated around the 18th century, during the time when the Hawaiian islands were first being explored and settled by Polynesian voyagers.
Lopaka is derived from the Hawaiian word "lopa", which means "fallen leaf" or "leaf that has dropped from a tree". This name was likely given to children as a way to symbolize the natural beauty and cycles of life in the Hawaiian islands.
One of the earliest known references to the name Lopaka can be found in the Hawaiian oral traditions and chants. These chants, known as "mele", were used to pass down stories and histories from one generation to the next.
The first recorded use of the name Lopaka appears to be in the late 18th century, when Captain James Cook made contact with the Hawaiian islands. In his journals, Cook mentions several Hawaiians with the name Lopaka, suggesting that it was a relatively common name at the time.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Lopaka. One of the earliest was Lopaka Kahololio, a Hawaiian warrior and chieftain who lived in the late 18th century. He was known for his bravery in battle and his leadership during a time of conflict between the Hawaiian islands.
Another famous Lopaka was Lopaka Kauhi, a Hawaiian navigator and explorer who lived in the early 19th century. He was renowned for his skills in celestial navigation and his ability to guide voyaging canoes across vast distances of open ocean.
In the late 19th century, there was Lopaka Kalili, a Hawaiian scholar and writer who played a significant role in preserving and documenting the Hawaiian language and culture. His works remain important references for understanding Hawaiian history and traditions.
Moving into the 20th century, Lopaka Hoe was a prominent Hawaiian musician and composer. He was known for blending traditional Hawaiian music with modern influences, and his compositions helped to popularize Hawaiian music around the world.
Finally, Lopaka Colon was a Hawaiian activist and advocate for native rights, who lived in the late 20th century. He was a vocal supporter of Hawaiian sovereignty and played a crucial role in raising awareness about the struggles and issues facing the Hawaiian community.
While these are just a few examples, the name Lopaka has a rich history and has been carried by many notable individuals throughout the centuries. It remains a popular name in Hawaii, reflecting the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the islands.
People
Lopaka + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lopaka as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lopaka: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lopaka?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 131 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lopaka going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,616,445 US residents.
Is Lopaka a common name?
We classify Lopaka as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 134 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lopaka most popular?
The single biggest year for Lopaka was 1997, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lopaka is about 29 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lopaka a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lopaka in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.