Hawaiian Names

Sweet multicultural name.

This version of Malia (as in Obama) peaked at Number 296 in 2009. Though Maliyah has lost ground since then, it's surprisingly enduring for a newly-fashion name whose pop culture connection was more than a decade ago.

Folk singer DiFranco popularized this simple, appealing form. In Igbo mythology, Ani is one of the names of the goddess of the earth, fertility, creativity, and morality.

Halia is one of Hawaii's top baby names, in the Top 50 for girls in 2021. But it's rare outside its native Hawaii, given to only 57 baby girls in the US last year.

Captivating and appealing name — a maile is a vine used to make leis — getting noticed via writer Maile Meloy. Many pronounce it ala Miley, as in Cyrus, though native Hawaiian speakers say the correct pronunciation is more like MY-lay or MY-leh.

Malu is a charming Hawaiian name chosen by ex-Talking Head David Byrne for his daughter. Malu might also be an abbreviated form of Malou, which is an abbreviated form of Mary Louise. Malu or Malou might be a retro-chic nickname for a child given the family names of Mary and/or Louise.

The Hawaiian variant Iakona modernizes Biblical favorite Jason.

Lilting and lovely. Entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

Pele is a female name in Hawaiian culture that could make a provocative choice for a modern girls. Others might think you named your daughter after the all-time great soccer player, but the simple, rare, and lovely name Pele has mythological roots.

Inoa is an evocative choice from the South Seas.

Alika is a multicultural choice that's far off the beaten track.

Hawaiian names are having a moment, and this one, despite its strong meaning, is relatively undiscovered. The pronunciation may not be immediately obvious, but it didn't hurt Keanu Reeves.

To most English speakers, Nana is the dog in Peter Pan, the daughter played by Emma Stone in Crazy Stupid Love, and another name for Grandma.

Kaena is a pleasant sounding unisex Hawaiian place name, the westernmost point of the island of Oahu. In the computer-generated fantasy movie Kaena: The Prophecy, the character of Kaena is voiced by Kirsten Dunst.

There are so many variations of this name in circulation, it makes it hard for any of them to feel as special as they might.

Any name that means handsome has something going for it, and Nohea may appeal especially due to its proximity to the popular Noah.

The sources that do list this name give it as a boys' name, but Woody Harrelson chose it for his daughter, and it does have a feminine lilt.

A name known in several cultures.

Kalama is a rare-yet-accessible Hawaiian name you may want to consider. Since President Obama put the spotlight on Hawaii and Hawaiian names such as that of his daughter Malia, a choice such as Kalama -- unusual, rhythmic, yet easy-to-apprehend -- seems more possible for the world at large.