Makena
Girl name · #2738 in 2025 · Uniqueness 86/100
In 2025, 63 baby girls were named Makena, placing it at #2738 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1126, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 28,571 girls born in 2025 was named Makena.
Babies named Makena per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 41-year story
Makena first appears in the Social Security records in 1984, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2005, when 381 girls were named Makena — good for #717 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Makena against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Makena in class?
Makena scores 86 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Makena will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Makena is most common
State-level data for Makena is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Makena
Statistically, parents drawn to Makena tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Malena, Meena, Cianna, Mackenna, and Malina.
MalenaMeenaCiannaMackennaMalinaKalenaMiyanaIyanna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Makena | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63 | #2719 |
| 2024 | 97 | #2011 |
| 2023 | 115 | #1774 |
| 2022 | 108 | #1870 |
| 2021 | 115 | #1768 |
| 2020 | 119 | #1704 |
| 2019 | 150 | #1465 |
| 2018 | 178 | #1284 |
| 2017 | 207 | #1182 |
| 2016 | 224 | #1132 |
| 2015 | 226 | #1126 |
| 2014 | 201 | #1215 |
| 2013 | 252 | #994 |
| 2012 | 255 | #988 |
| 2011 | 236 | #1045 |
| 2010 | 294 | #899 |
| 2009 | 281 | #949 |
| 2008 | 323 | #863 |
| 2007 | 303 | #906 |
| 2006 | 341 | #804 |
| 2005 | 381 | #717 |
| 2004 | 297 | #831 |
| 2003 | 298 | #824 |
| 2002 | 306 | #774 |
| 2001 | 197 | #1076 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Makena a popular girl name?
Makena ranked #2738 among girls in 2025 with 63 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1126.
When was the name Makena most popular?
Makena peaked in 2005, when 381 American girls received the name (ranked #717 that year). Since 2005 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Makena?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 28,571 newborn American girls was named Makena. It scores 86/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.