How to Give Your Baby a Hawaiian Name

In recent years, the people of Hawaii have begun to look at their past in the hope of reviving their fading culture. One avenue is through language - teaching the younger generations the native tongue. The following steps will direct you to the meanings and spellings of some Hawaiian names for children.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baby Names
• Genealogy Books
• Internet Access
• Computers
• Genealogy Software

1. Decide on a floral name for a girl, such as Kalei, which means flower wreath; Kiele, which means gardenia; or Mohala, which means flowers in bloom. For a boy, Kealoha means fragrant and Mamo means yellow flower.

2. Select a name that describes nature. For a girl, Kai means sea, Makani means wind and Nana means spring. For a boy, Kamakani means wind and Kele means sparrow hawk. Kele is the Hawaiian form of Jerry.

3. Decide on a name synonymous with the heavens. For a girl, Leilani means heavenly child, Lulani is the highest point in heaven, Anela means angel, Kalena means pure, Okalani means heaven and Nalani means calm as the heavens. For boys, Kaili is a Hawaiian deity and Kalani means heaven.

4. Choose a beautiful and endearing name. For a girl, Ani means beautiful and Kalea means bright. For a boy, Kaipo means sweetheart.

5. Opt for a strong name. For a girl, try Keilani, which means glorious chief, or Lea, the goddess of canoe makers. For your boy, try Kekoa, which means bold and courageous.

Tips & Warnings

• The Hawaiian alphabet has only 12 letters. The language uses the same vowels as in English - a, e, i, o and u. The only consonants used are h, k, l, m, n, p and w.
• Keep in mind that these names come from various parts of the country and can be derived from different cultures. The spellings and meaning may vary slightly from region to region - check with your family or other resources if this is important in naming your child.

[Hawaiian808]

on 12/4/2008 E kala mai, I made a mistake in my first sentence.

"Hawaiian names are not something that are something you give to a child because you think it sounds pretty."

*Hawaiian names are not something you give to a child because you think it sounds pretty.

[Hawaiian808]

on 12/4/2008 Hawaiian names are not something that are something you give to a child because you think it sounds pretty. To Hawaiians, the name is very important--and giving the child the wrong name, or stealing someone's name without permission can actually make the child sick. If you are to name your child with a Hawaiian name; understand the Hawaiian culture and the meaning and kaona (deeper meaning) behind the name.


Corrections:
Your 'olelo (words) are off in translation and the Hawaiian language had 13 characters---the 'okina counts as a character.

And, if you're going to give your child a Hawaiian name, please know how to actually pronounce and spell it correctly.

Mahalo. E malama pono.

[liondescent]

on 6/28/2008 yeeeah...sooo you're translation is a bit off...well that's cool you have a how to to help preserve culture. But the thing is, not just any child can be named a Hawaiian name, they have to be partially Hawaiian. Well, they don't haveto, but in a way it sort of disrespects the culture. I guess if you don't understand the culture and history, it would be hard for an outsider to see this. I don't mean for that to sound harsh, I guess thats how some of my family feels, plus my tutu has always told me you should never act to be something you're not. I think that tory by Kapo is so funny! Things get lost in translation, a boy that thought he was local called me "wahine" trying to make it like an insult...im like uhhh...yeah ima girl... he meant to say "haoule" ha ha

[testing123]

on 2/26/2008 Nana doesn't mean pretty. I can't even tell you what it means without the kahakos and 'okina's. Ani means to beckon, wave, or to blow softly. Who'd want to name their daughter with a name like that! If you want a great Hawaiian name, try to find and contact a Kupuna (elder/teacher) and see if they can help you. At the very least, yes, do your research with books and contacting someone who actually speaks Hawaiian (you could even try to see if one of the busy Hawaiian language professors at the University of Hawai'i system can help you). But FYI, this article is inaccurate.

[testing123]

on 2/26/2008 This article is quite inaccurate. Listen to Anonymous and do your research. Or better yet, consult with a Kupuna (Elder, Grandparent, Teacher) to help you come up with a great Hawaiian name. Kealoha does not mean fragrant, maybe it means the love, or the hello, or the goodbye. Mamo is the hawaiian word for the black honey creeper. Nana does not mean spring. There is no word for "spring" in Hawaiian b/c the Hawaiians didn't recognize spring. It was either the wet season or the dry/hot season. Ani doesn't mean pretty, it means to beckon, wave. Not sure I'd like to name my daughter that!