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Hawaiian names: 130+ female, male and unisex names with meanings

133 names · Updated · By The Nomezo Editors · Save to Pinterest

Popular Hawaiian names include Leilani (heavenly lei), Kai (the sea) and Koa (brave), and most are built from everyday Hawaiian words for nature, love and character. Hawaiian women's names lean on lei, flowers and the heavens, while Hawaiian guy names favor courage, strength and the sea.

Below are 130+ real Hawaiian names with their meanings and a simple pronunciation, written the standard way with the ʻokina (ʻ, a glottal stop like the catch in uh-oh) and the kahakō (a line that lengthens a vowel). Many names that start with Ka or Ke begin with the word for the, as in Kalani and Keola, and lani means sky, heaven or royal. Hawaiian names can also carry kaona, a hidden or layered meaning, so families often choose them with care and ask a kupuna (elder) for guidance.

Can't decide? Shuffle 6 random picks

  • Kailani

    Sea and sky; kai plus lani. Say kye-LAH-nee

  • Leinani

    Beautiful lei; lei plus nani. Say lay-NAH-nee

  • Kamaile

    The maile vine, woven into lei for special occasions

  • ʻAkamu

    Hawaiian form of Adam: man, humankind

  • Kapono

    The righteous one; pono means goodness

  • Melia

    Plumeria, a classic lei flower. Say meh-LEE-ah

Find a Hawaiian name on this page

Narrow 133 names by how common they were for US babies in 2025, by section, length or first letter, or search the meanings.

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Female Hawaiian names for girls

Soft, flowing names for girls, many built from lei, flowers and words of affection.

  1. Leilani US #60: Heavenly lei, or royal child; lei plus lani. Say lay-LAH-nee
  2. Kailani US #253: Sea and sky; kai plus lani. Say kye-LAH-nee
  3. Nani: Beauty, beautiful. Short, sweet and widely loved
  4. Kanani: The beauty; ka plus nani. Say kah-NAH-nee
  5. Kalea: Joy, happiness; ka plus leʻa, also spelled Kaleʻa. Say kah-LEH-ah
  6. Mele: Song, chant or poem. Say MEH-leh
  7. Kaʻiulani: The royal sacred one; name of the last heir to the Hawaiian throne. Say kah-ee-oo-LAH-nee
  8. Kuʻulei: My beloved child, literally my lei. Say koo-oo-LAY
  9. Kuʻuipo: My sweetheart; a loving term used as a name
  10. Haunani: Beautiful snow; hau can also mean ruler in names. Say how-NAH-nee
  11. Mālie: Calm, quiet, gentle. Say MAH-lee-eh
  12. Mohala: Blooming, unfolding like flower petals. Say moh-HAH-lah
  13. Kēhau: Dew, dewdrops; a fresh, gentle name. Say kay-HOW
  14. Lilinoe: Fine mist; also the mist goddess of Mauna Kea
  15. Kamaile: The maile vine, woven into lei for special occasions
  16. Leinani: Beautiful lei; lei plus nani. Say lay-NAH-nee
  17. Hiʻilei: Held lovingly in the arms, like a lei. Say hee-ee-LAY
  18. Leimomi: Pearl lei; lei plus momi, pearl
  19. Leialoha: Beloved lei, or beloved child; lei plus aloha
  20. Nāpua: The flowers; nā plus pua. Say nah-POO-ah
  21. Malia US #349: Hawaiian form of Maria. Say mah-LEE-ah
  22. ʻAlani US #161: Orange tree; Hawaiian. Without the ʻokina, alani is a bitter seaweed. Say ah-LAH-nee

Hawaiian women's names

Graceful female Hawaiian names with a grown-up feel, from snow and moonlight to Hawaiian forms of classic names.

  1. Haukea: White snow; hau plus kea. Say how-KEH-ah
  2. ʻIolana: To soar, to fly high. Say ee-oh-LAH-nah
  3. Kawehi: The adornment; ka plus wehi. Say kah-VEH-hee
  4. Uʻilani: Heavenly beauty, or royal beauty; uʻi plus lani
  5. Kamalani: Heavenly child, or royal child; kama plus lani
  6. Kauʻi: The youthful one; ka plus uʻi. Say kah-OO-ee
  7. Māhealani: Night of the full moon, the 16th of the lunar month
  8. Kēhaulani: Heavenly dew; kēhau plus lani. Say kay-how-LAH-nee
  9. Kuʻualoha: My beloved, my love; kuʻu plus aloha
  10. Leolani: Heavenly voice; leo plus lani. Say leh-oh-LAH-nee
  11. Nohealani: Lovely one of the heavens; nohea plus lani
  12. Ululani: Heavenly inspiration; ulu plus lani. Say oo-loo-LAH-nee
  13. Wikolia: Hawaiian form of Victoria: victory. Say vee-koh-LEE-ah
  14. Kilikina: Hawaiian form of Christina: follower of Christ
  15. Apikalia: Hawaiian form of Abigail: my father is joy
  16. Kekepania: Hawaiian form of Stephanie: crown, garland
  17. Melika: Hawaiian form of Melissa: honeybee. Say meh-LEE-kah

Hawaiian names for boys

Names for boys about courage, strength, voice and life.

  1. Koa US #269: Brave, fearless; also a prized native hardwood tree
  2. Kekoa: The brave one, the warrior. Say keh-KOH-ah
  3. Makoa: Fearless, courageous. Say mah-KOH-ah
  4. Ikaika: Strong, powerful; strength. Say ee-KYE-kah
  5. Kanoa: The free one; ka plus noa. Say kah-NOH-ah
  6. Keanu US #649: The coolness, or cool breeze; ke plus anu. Say keh-AH-noo
  7. Kaleo US #898: The voice; ka plus leo. Say kah-LEH-oh
  8. Keola: The life; ke plus ola. Say keh-OH-lah
  9. Kainoa: The name; ka plus inoa. Say kye-NOH-ah
  10. Kapono: The righteous one; pono means goodness
  11. Keahi: The fire; ke plus ahi. Say keh-AH-hee
  12. Kamaka: The eye, the face; ka plus maka
  13. Kaipo: The sweetheart; ka plus ipo. Say KYE-poh
  14. Lanakila: Victory, triumph. Say lah-nah-KEE-lah
  15. ʻAukai: Seafarer, sailor; ʻau plus kai. Say ow-KYE
  16. Liko: A leaf bud, a fresh new shoot. Say LEE-koh
  17. Kūpaʻa: Steadfast, loyal, firm. Say koo-PAH-ah
  18. Makai US #481: Toward the sea; Hawaiian. Say mah-KYE

Hawaiian guy names

Male Hawaiian names for men: word names about fame, home and leadership, plus Hawaiian forms of George, Michael and more.

  1. Kapena: Captain, from the English word. Say kah-PEH-nah
  2. Kaulana: Famous, renowned. Say kow-LAH-nah
  3. Keone: The homeland, the home soil. Say keh-OH-neh
  4. Kōnane: Bright, as in bright moonlight. Say koh-NAH-neh
  5. Kaʻimi: The seeker; ka plus ʻimi, to search. Say kah-EE-mee
  6. Kealiʻi: The chief, the royal one; ke plus aliʻi
  7. Keoki: Hawaiian form of George: farmer. Say keh-OH-kee
  8. Ekewaka: Hawaiian form of Edward: rich guardian
  9. Iakopa: Hawaiian form of Jacob: supplanter. Say ee-ah-KOH-pah
  10. Ikaia: Hawaiian form of Isaiah: God is salvation. Say ee-KYE-ah
  11. Iokua: Hawaiian form of Joshua: God is salvation
  12. Mikala: Hawaiian form of Michael in name books; the Hawaiian Bible spells Michael Mikaela

Unisex Hawaiian names

Hawaiian names given to both girls and boys.

  1. Keala: The path; ke plus ala. Say keh-AH-lah
  2. Kealoha: The loved one; ke plus aloha
  3. Nohea: Handsome, lovely, of soft beauty. Say noh-HEH-ah
  4. Makana: A gift, a present. Say mah-KAH-nah
  5. Kaimana: A diamond, from the English word. Say kye-MAH-nah
  6. Kalei: The lei; also a beloved child. Say kah-LAY
  7. Pono: Goodness, righteousness, doing what is right
  8. Ola: Life, health, well-being. Say OH-lah
  9. Aloha: Love, affection, compassion; also a greeting
  10. Malu: Shade, shelter, peace. Say MAH-loo
  11. Lōkahi: Unity, harmony. Say loh-KAH-hee
  12. Kona: Leeward side; also a district on Hawaiʻi Island
  13. Pōmaikaʻi: Blessing, good fortune. Say poh-my-KAH-ee
  14. Kahiau: Giving generously, expecting nothing in return

Hawaiian flower names

Flowers and lei plants of Hawaiʻi, from native blossoms to garden favorites.

  1. Pua: A flower or blossom; also a child or descendant
  2. Puanani: Beautiful flower; pua plus nani
  3. Kapua: The flower; ka plus pua. Say kah-POO-ah
  4. Lehua: Blossom of the ʻōhiʻa tree; Hawaiʻi Island's flower. Say leh-HOO-ah
  5. ʻIlima: Golden native flower and Oʻahu's official flower. Say ee-LEE-mah
  6. Maile: Fragrant native vine woven into lei. Say MY-leh
  7. Pīkake: Jasmine; named for peacocks, both loved by Princess Kaʻiulani
  8. Melia: Plumeria, a classic lei flower. Say meh-LEE-ah
  9. Kiele: Gardenia, a sweet-scented flower. Say kee-EH-leh
  10. Loke: Rose, from the English word. Say LOH-keh
  11. Lokelani: Heavenly rose; the pink damask rose, Maui's flower
  12. Lilia US #859: Lily, from Hawaiian līlia, a word taken from English. Say lee-LEE-ah

Hawaiian names from the sea and sky

Ocean, waves, wind, moon and stars, the world of an island people.

  1. Kai US #93: The sea, sea water. Short, bright and easy to say
  2. Moana: Ocean, open sea. Say moh-AH-nah
  3. Nalu: Wave, surf. Say NAH-loo
  4. Kekai: The sea; ke plus kai. Say keh-KYE
  5. Manō: Shark, a family guardian for some Hawaiian lineages. Say mah-NOH
  6. Kawai: The water; ka plus wai. Say kah-WYE
  7. Mahina: Moon; also month. Say mah-HEE-nah
  8. Hōkū: Star; wayfinders steer by them across the Pacific. Say HOH-koo
  9. Ānuenue: Rainbow; Hawaiʻi is famous for them. Say ah-noo-eh-NOO-eh
  10. Makani: Wind, breeze. Say mah-KAH-nee
  11. Kamakani: The wind; ka plus makani

Hawaiian names with lani

Lani means sky, heaven or royal, and it ends many of the best-loved Hawaiian names. Traditionally, -lani and Kealiʻi- names were kept for chiefs; today they are widely used, but some families still ask a kupuna first.

  1. Kalani US #387: The heavens; also a high chief. Say kah-LAH-nee
  2. Lani: Sky, heaven; also royal or majestic. Say LAH-nee
  3. Nālani US #414: The heavens, or the chiefs; nā plus lani
  4. Noelani: Heavenly mist; noe plus lani. Say noh-eh-LAH-nee
  5. Pualani: Heavenly flower; pua plus lani
  6. Hōkūlani: Heavenly star; hōkū plus lani
  7. ʻIwalani: Heavenly frigatebird, a seabird that soars high
  8. ʻIolani: Royal hawk; also Honolulu's royal palace. Say ee-oh-LAH-nee
  9. Aolani: Heavenly cloud; ao plus lani
  10. Malulani: Heavenly protection; malu plus lani
  11. Wailani: Heavenly water; wai plus lani. Say wye-LAH-nee
  12. Alohilani: Bright, shining sky; ʻalohi plus lani

Hawaiian forms of English and Bible names

Familiar names respelled with Hawaiian sounds in the 1800s. Each keeps the meaning of the original name.

  1. Kawika: Hawaiian form of David: beloved one. Say kah-VEE-kah
  2. Keoni: Hawaiian form of John: God is gracious. Say keh-OH-nee
  3. Kimo: Hawaiian form of James: supplanter. Say KEE-moh
  4. Pekelo: Hawaiian form of Peter: stone, rock
  5. Iokepa: Hawaiian form of Joseph: he will add
  6. Kale: Hawaiian form of Charles: man. Say KAH-leh
  7. Lopaka: Hawaiian form of Robert: bright fame
  8. Kaniela: Hawaiian form of Daniel: God is my judge
  9. Makaio: Hawaiian form of Matthew: gift of God
  10. Pilipo: Hawaiian form of Philip: lover of horses
  11. ʻAkamu: Hawaiian form of Adam: man, humankind
  12. Lahela: Hawaiian form of Rachel: ewe, female sheep
  13. Elikapeka: Hawaiian form of Elizabeth: God is my oath
  14. Ana US #245: Hawaiian form of Anna: favor, grace
  15. Ema: Hawaiian form of Emma: whole, universal. Say EH-mah

How to pick the right name

Keep the ʻokina and kahakō

They are part of the spelling and can change the meaning: manō is shark, while mano means many. Keep them whenever you write the name.

Say every vowel

Hawaiian vowels sound much like Spanish ones: a as in father, e as in bet, i as in machine, o as in hole, u as in rule. Each vowel is pronounced, so Kailani is kye-LAH-nee, not kay-LAN-ee.

Ask about the deeper meaning

Hawaiian names can carry kaona, a hidden meaning tied to a place, a story or a family. If the name matters to you, ask a Hawaiian speaker or kupuna what it suggests.

Try a ka or ke name

Ka and ke both mean the, and they turn a word into a name: Kaleo is the voice, Keola is the life and Kekoa is the brave one.

Hawaiian names: 133 ideas from Nomezo

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Hawaiian names: the marks that change a meaning, the names once kept for chiefs, and what is popular

By The Nomezo Editors · Updated October 25, 2026 · How we research names

Hawaiian is written with 12 letters and the ʻokina, a mark for the catch in uh-oh, and a long vowel takes a line called the kahakō. Both can change a word completely: ʻalani is an orange tree, alani a bitter seaweed. So a Hawaiian name is spelled with care, and many families ask a kupuna, an elder, before they choose.

Leilani is the most popular Hawaiian name for US girls, at No. 60 in 2025, and Kai for boys, at No. 93. The finder above narrows the names on this page by section, length and 2025 popularity.

  1. Step 1Choose by meaningSky, sea, flowers or courage: the sections are sorted that way.
  2. Step 2Get the marks rightAn ʻokina or a kahakō can turn a name into another word.
  3. Step 3Know the historySome names were once kept for chiefs.
  4. Step 4Plan for paperworkUS birth data drops the marks entirely.

The most popular Hawaiian names in the US

  • Songs and films move these names. Leilani went from 8 US girls in 1936 to 81 in 1937, the year Bing Crosby sang "Sweet Leilani" (Behind the Name). Moana went from 57 in 2016 to 141 in 2017 and was back to 35 by 2025.
Hawaiian names in the US, 2025
GirlsUS rankBoysUS rank
Leilani#60Kai#93
ʻAlani (as Alani)#161Koa#269, its highest ever
Kailani#253Makai#481, its highest ever
Malia#349Keanu#649
Kalani#387Kaleo#898, its highest ever
Nālani (as Nalani)#414Kekoa61 boys

Source: US Social Security Administration, 2025 data. The SSA files use plain A to Z letters only, so the ʻokina and kahakō are dropped: Kaʻiulani is counted as Kaiulani, and every spelling is counted separately (SSA).

Marks that change the meaning

  • Hawaiian spelling has rules. Words end in vowels and every consonant is followed by a vowel (Wikipedia). So Kehlani (No. 149 for US girls) and Ailany (No. 14) are not spelled the Hawaiian way, whatever inspired them.
Same letters, different words
SpellingMeaning
ʻalaniOrange, the fruit and the tree
alaniBitter brown seaweeds, a fragrant tree or a moss
Kaleʻa (ka + leʻa)Joy, happiness
kaleaTo choke; whooping cough

Source: Pukui-Elbert, Hawaiian Dictionary, via Wehewehe (alani, kalea). Type the ʻokina as its own character (ʻ), not an apostrophe.

How Hawaiian names were given

  • Names for chiefs. Names beginning with Kealiʻi- (the chief) or ending in -lani (sky, heaven) were once reserved for chiefs (Wikipedia). They are used widely now, which is one reason families still ask an elder.
  • Names from dreams. A name might be revealed in a dream or a vision (Wikipedia).
  • The 1860 law. Under a law signed by Kamehameha IV, Hawaiians took their father's given name as a surname and children were given English first names, which pushed Hawaiian names into the middle. It stayed in force until 1967 (Wikipedia). That is why many Hawaiian family names are a grandfather's first name.
  • An official language. Hawaiian and English are both official languages of the State of Hawaiʻi (Wikipedia).

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What does lani mean in Hawaiian names?

Lani means sky or heaven, and also royal or majestic. It appears in names like Leilani (heavenly lei), Kalani (the heavens) and Noelani (heavenly mist).

What are pretty female Hawaiian names?

Leilani, Kailani, Moana, Kalea, Nani and Mālie are lovely female Hawaiian names. For a grown-up feel, Hawaiian women's names like Māhealani (night of the full moon) and Kēhaulani (heavenly dew) are elegant choices.

What are good Hawaiian guy names?

Koa (brave), Kekoa (the brave one), Ikaika (strong), Kaulana (famous) and Kealiʻi (the chief) are strong Hawaiian guy names. Keoki and Kawika, the Hawaiian forms of George and David, also suit men.

What Hawaiian words are used for names?

Lani (sky, heaven), lei (garland, beloved child), nani (beauty), pua (flower), kai (sea) and aloha (love) are some of the most common Hawaiian words in names. Many names start with ka or ke, meaning the, as in Kalani (the heavens) and Kekoa (the brave one).

What does Keanu mean?

Keanu means the coolness, from ke (the) and anu (cool or cold), and is often translated as cool breeze. The actor Keanu Reeves made it famous outside Hawaiʻi.

What is the most popular Hawaiian name?

For US girls, Leilani (heavenly lei), No. 60 in 2025. For boys, Kai (the sea), No. 93, though Kai also has roots outside Hawaiʻi. Koa, Makai and Kaleo reached their highest ranks ever in 2025.

Is Ailany a Hawaiian name?

Not in its spelling. Hawaiian has no letter y, and every consonant is followed by a vowel. Ailany was the No. 14 name for US girls in 2025; ʻAilani and Leilani are spelled the Hawaiian way.

Will the ʻokina show on my child's records?

Not in US Social Security data, which uses plain A to Z letters, so Kaʻiulani is counted as Kaiulani. Ask your birth registrar how they record it, and keep the marks in the name you use every day.

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