Koa

Koa is the name of a tree and the word for brave. In Hawaiian, koa refers both to the native acacia whose dense red wood was carved into canoes and surfboards, and to the warrior who wielded them—strength and the material of strength at once. One open syllable, KOH-ah, that drifts like spray off a wave. The name entered the American Top 1000 only in 2017 but has risen rapidly to near 292, and it works beautifully for any child. Short, elemental, entirely its own sound; Koa carries island weather without ever feeling like costume. Quietly strong.