Makoa is a Hawaiian name meaning "fearless" or "courageous". It belongs to the group of Hawaiian names such as Koa, Kainoa and Kekoa that have spread from the islands to mainland families looking for strong, open-sounding names. Makoa ranked number 5219 in the United States in 2000 and has climbed sharply since 2020, reaching number 1118 in 2024 and number 1119 in 2025.