Kohana
Meaningoften little flower · Japanese
Kohana is a Japanese girl name often meaning “little flower”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with a short middle name.
Did you know?
- Hidden namesLook closely: Kohana has the name Hana hiding inside it.
- Scrabble scoreIf names were allowed in Scrabble, Kohana would score 13 points, thanks largely to the K (worth 5).
- GenerationKohana peaked in 2009, which makes it a Gen Z name. The typical Kohana you'd meet today is about 16 years old.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Kohana would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 147,059 baby girls got the name in 2025.
- HistoryKohana first shows up in US birth records in 2002, the first year at least 5 babies got it. That makes it a fairly new name, younger than many of today's parents.
US births per million girls, 2002–2025
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Kohana
Kohana is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often little flower”. With 3 syllables it has a flowing, lyrical sound, so a short middle name balances it nicely. It's a fresh, modern name that only arrived in US birth records in recent decades and is still gaining fans. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Japanese names
More Japanese girl names
- Girl name: Naomi · pleasantness
- Girl name: Noa · movement
- Girl name: Reina · queen
- Girl name: Aya · sign, verse
- Girl name: Hana · one; flower in Japanese
- Girl name: Kiyomi · often pure beauty
- Girl name: Yuna · often gentle
- Unisex name: Akira · bright, clear
Questions about the name Kohana
What does the name Kohana mean?
Kohana means “often little flower” and comes from Japanese. Names built around “flower” have been loved for generations, and give a child a meaning worth sharing when someone asks about their name. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Violet (“violet flower”), Lily (“lily flower”), Rose (“rose flower”) and Magnolia (“magnolia flower”).
What is the origin of the name Kohana?
Kohana is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).
Is Kohana a boy or girl name?
Kohana is a girl name. In 2025, 11 US girls were named Kohana.
How popular is the name Kohana?
Kohana ranked #8,860 for US girls in 2025, given to 11 babies. Its best year was 2009, when it reached #7,066. Over the last five years it has climbed 686 places.
What names are similar to Kohana?
If you like Kohana, you might also like Violet, Lily, Rose and Magnolia.
What should I know before naming my baby Kohana?
Kohana is a Japanese girl name often meaning “little flower”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with a short middle name. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.