Hawaiian Names

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.

This name is one of the hot new spiritual names for both sexes. In Hawaiian it means "chieftain of the sky" or "spirit of the sky,"and is extremely popular for boys.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Makeo is a rare name, which peaked in usage in the USA in 2012, when it was given to six little boys. Despite this rarity, its similarity to names like Mateo (to which it is related), Arlo, etc. means it is ripe for a spike in popularity.

Sweet multicultural name.

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

Iolani feels quintessentially Hawaiian, a stylish origin for baby names these days thanks to Malia, the Hawaiian name of the Obamas' older daughter. The initial I is pronounced with a long e sound, as in Waikiki, and the name Iolani has four syllables.

Anela is the equivalent of Angela, which means angel. Anela is also one of

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.

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.

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

Kalena is one of those names that has a pleasant-if-synthetic feel. Research turns up a range of origins and meanings, but the most reliable peg it as a derivation of Katherine.

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.

This version of Malia (as in Obama) peaked at Number 296 in 2009, though it has lost ground since then.