Moana
Girl name · #4085 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Moana? In official American birth records, Moana has been tracked continuously since 1941, giving it 84 years of documented American history.
Moana ranks #4085 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 35 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #6721, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 51,429 girls born in 2025 was named Moana.
The 84-year story
Moana first appears in the Social Security records in 1941, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 141 girls were named Moana — good for #1552 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.
Babies named Moana per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Moana against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Moana in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Moana is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Moana will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Moana is most common
State-level data for Moana is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Moana
Statistically, parents drawn to Moana tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Miliana, Suhana, Teyana, Aahana, and Ohana.
MilianaSuhanaTeyanaAahanaOhanaAvyanaVianaZyana
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Moana | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35 | #4067 |
| 2024 | 50 | #3176 |
| 2023 | 39 | #3833 |
| 2022 | 45 | #3470 |
| 2021 | 55 | #3002 |
| 2020 | 48 | #3221 |
| 2019 | 51 | #3130 |
| 2018 | 82 | #2238 |
| 2017 | 141 | #1552 |
| 2016 | 57 | #2934 |
| 2015 | 18 | #6721 |
| 2014 | 16 | #7302 |
| 2013 | 19 | #6462 |
| 2012 | 10 | #10429 |
| 2011 | 12 | #9150 |
| 2010 | 9 | #11246 |
| 2009 | 12 | #9379 |
| 2008 | 19 | #6799 |
| 2007 | 10 | #10818 |
| 2006 | 16 | #7482 |
| 2005 | 8 | #11834 |
| 2004 | 5 | #16099 |
| 2003 | 9 | #10425 |
| 2002 | 8 | #11108 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9351 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Moana?
In official American birth records, the name Moana first appeared in 1941 (over 84 years ago), when 8 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 84 years.
Is Moana a popular girl name?
Moana ranked #4085 among girls in 2025 with 35 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6721.
When was the name Moana most popular?
Moana peaked in 2017, when 141 American girls received the name (ranked #1552 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Moana?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 51,429 newborn American girls was named Moana. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.