Hawaiian Names

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.

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.

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.

Though little used as a first name, Loa will be familiar to many from the name of Hawaii's most famous volcano, Mauna Loa, on the Big Island.

The Hawaiian variant Iakona modernizes Biblical favorite Jason.

Many Hawaiian names reference nature, especially the ocean -- not surprising for a state that's made up of islands. Kainalu's meaning is one of the loveliest.

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.

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.

Inoa is an evocative choice from the South Seas.

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

An intriguing Hawaiian boy's name much more distinct and unique than Kai or Koa.

Alakai is an Anglicization of Alaka’i, a Hawaiian name meaning "leader" and the name of a swamp and wilderness preserve on the island of Kauaʻi. Its traditional pronunciation would beah-lah-kah-ee, however, some parents as using it as an invented name inspired by Malakai, with the sounds of the much loved Kai at the end.

The Hawaiian word for sunflower is also used figuratively for people who gaze toward the sun, and has a nice resonance with Lion King name Nala.

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.

A name known in several cultures.

Malea, for familiar to Americans spelled Malia as in Malia Obama, is a Top 100 name in Germany and Switzerland. In the US, only about 40 baby girls were named Malea last year, versus 1100 named Malia.