Baby Name: Kekoa

Which Hawaiian names are popular in Hawaii right now?

I read through the current list of top baby names in Hawaii and picked out as many traditional Hawaiian names as I could. Here they are, plus their definitions (and their missing ‘okinas!).

Popular Hawaiian Names for Girls

• Leilani, 19 baby girls, means “heavenly (lani) flowers/child (lei).”
• Mahina, 15, means “moon” or “moonlight.”
• Kalena, 13, means “the (ka) yellow (lena).” Yellow was once symbolic of the alii, Hawaii’s powerful royal class (source).
• Kaila, 11, means “style, fashion.”
• Hali’a, 9, means “sudden remembrance, memory.”
• Kai’a, 9, means “the (ka) fish (i’a).”
• Kailani, 8, means “heavenly (lani) sea (kai).”
• Keani, 7, means “the (ke) soft breeze (ani).”
• Mehana, 7, means “warmth, heat.”
• Hi’ilani, 6, means “held in the arms (hi’i) of heaven (lani).”
• Kailana, 6, means “calm (lana) sea (kai).”
• Kamaile, 6, means “the (ka) maile vine.”
• Lilinoe, 6, means “fine mist.”
• Malie, 6, means “calm.”
• Anuhea, 5, means “cool, soft fragrance.”
• Hi’ilei, 5, means “child (lei) held in the arms (hi’i).”
• Ilihia, 5, means “excited” or “awe-stricken.”
• Kawena, 5, means “the (ka) glow (wena).”
• Kealani, 5, means “heavenly (lani) whiteness (kea).”
• Lea, 5, is the name of a Hawaiian goddess.
• Mahealani, 5, means “sixteenth day of the lunar month; night of the full moon” (source).
• Nai’a, 5, means “dolphin.”
• Noelani, 5, means “heavenly (lani) mist (noe).”

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser said Malia (ranked 21st overall) was the most popular Hawaiian name for girls in 2013, but Malia is is just the Hawaiian form of the non-Hawaiian name Mary, so I didn’t include it. I didn’t include several other names (like Keoni, Hawaiian for “John”) for the same reason.

Popular Hawaiian Names for Boys

• Kai, 38 baby boys, means “sea.” Kai was the 19th most popular boy name overall in Hawaii last year.
• Kainoa, 21, means “the (ka) namesake (inoa).”
• Kaimana, 20, means “power (mana) of the sea (kai).”
• Koa, 16, means “warrior, brave” or is a reference to the koa tree.
• Nainoa, 11, means “the (na) namesakes (inoa)” — na is the article used for plural nouns.
• Makoa, 10, means “fearless.”
• Nakoa, 10, means “”the (ne) brave ones/koa trees (koa).”
• Kana’i, 9, means “the (ka) conqueror (na’i).”
• Makana, 9, means “gift.”
• Ka’eo, 8, means “full of knowledge.”
• Kahiau, 8, means “generous.”
• Kainalu, 8, means “billowy (nalu) sea (kai).”
• Keanu, 8, means “the (ke) coolness (anu).”
• Noa, 8, means “commoner/free man.”
• Kaleo, 7, means “the (ka) sound/voice (leo).”
• Kamaha’o, 6, means “wondrous.”
• Kanoa, 6, means “the (ka) commoner/free man (noa).”
• Kekoa, 6, means “the (ke) brave one/koa tree (koa).”
• La’akea, 6, means “sacred (la’a) white/light (kea).”
• Makai, 6, means “toward (ma) the sea (kai).”
• Mana, 6, means “supernatural or divine power.”
• Alaka’i, 5, means “leader.”
• Kaiea, 5, means “rising (ea) sea/tide (kai).”
• Ka’imipono, 5, means “the (ka) seeker of righteousness (‘imi pono).”
• Kalani, 5, means “the (ka) heavenly one/royal one (lani).”
• Kamakani, 5, means “the (ka) wind (makani).”
• Koamalu, 5, means “brave (koa) peace (malu).”

While I was gathering all those definitions, I also found a bunch of other interesting Hawaiian names, such as…

• ‘Aukai, “seafarer” (‘au, “travel” + kai, “sea”). It’s like the Hawaiian version of Sailor.
• Kapi’ioho, “curly hair.” It’s like the Hawaiian version of Crispin (Latin crispus, “curly”).
• ‘Opunui, “big-bellied” (‘opu, “belly” + nui, “big”). Big bellies were a status symbol in old Hawaii. According to one source, “the elite lived lavishly, were feasting constantly, and the highest chiefs were distinguished by their corpulence.”
• Leiko is a hybrid Hawaiian-Japanese name: lei, “flowers/child” + ko, “child.”

Do you have a favorite Hawaiian name? Leave a comment and tell me about it!

Source: Bodley, John H. Cultural Anthropology: Tribes, States, and the Global System. Lanham, MD: AltaMira-Rowman & Littlefield, 2011.