Hawaiian Words Used in Names, a Glossary
Hawaiian names are built from a small stock of everyday words. Lani, kai, lei, pua, and aloha alone account for hundreds of the 1392 names on this site. This glossary defines each building block, shows how to say it, and lists every name that contains it.
How Hawaiian names are put together
Most Hawaiian names are transparent. A speaker hears Leilani and hears two ordinary words, lei (garland) and lani (heaven), in the same way an English speaker hears Rose or Hope. Names stack these words in a few recurring patterns: an article plus a noun (Kalani, the heavens), a noun plus lani (Pualani, heavenly flower), lei plus a noun (Leimomi, pearl lei), or kuʻu plus a noun (Kuʻuipo, my sweetheart). Learn the 5 most common words, lani, kai, lei, aloha, pua, and you can read the meaning of most names on sight.
Each entry below follows the Hawaiian Dictionary of Pukui and Elbert and links to the online edition at wehewehe.org so you can check the full definition. The count is the number of names on this site whose word-by-word breakdown contains the word.
The words, most used first
| Word | Meaning | Say it | Names | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lani | sky, heaven; royal, exalted | LAH-nee | 218 | Heaven |
| kai | sea, seawater | KYE | 85 | Ocean |
| lei | garland, wreath; a beloved child | LAY | 75 | Flower |
| aloha | love, affection, compassion; hello and goodbye | ah-LOH-hah | 59 | Love |
| pua | flower, blossom; offspring | POO-ah | 59 | Flower |
| nani | beauty, beautiful, glorious | NAH-nee | 56 | Beauty |
| ola | life, health, well-being | OH-lah | 51 | Life |
| malu | shade, shelter, protection, peace | MAH-loo | 41 | Peace |
| hōkū | star | HOH-koo | 38 | Star |
| mālie | calm, quiet, gentle | MAH-lee-eh | 37 | Peace |
| nui | big, great, important | NOO-ee | 37 | Strength |
| hiwa | choice, prized, esteemed | HEE-vah | 36 | Gift |
| kea | white, clear | KEH-ah | 36 | Light |
| wai | fresh water | WYE | 36 | Water |
| mana | spiritual power, authority | MAH-nah | 35 | Strength |
| noe | mist, fine rain | NOH-eh | 35 | Rain |
| ua | rain | OO-ah | 31 | Rain |
| makana | gift, present, reward | mah-KAH-nah | 23 | Gift |
| ao | daylight, dawn, cloud; world | OW | 22 | Light |
| lā | sun, day | LAH | 21 | Sun |
| lehua | the ʻōhiʻa lehua blossom | leh-HOO-ah | 21 | Flower |
| mahina | moon, month | mah-HEE-nah | 21 | Moon |
| makani | wind, breeze | mah-KAH-nee | 21 | Wind |
| moana | ocean, open sea | moh-AH-nah | 21 | Ocean |
| momi | pearl | MOH-mee | 21 | Beauty |
| koa | brave, warrior; the koa tree | KOH-ah | 20 | Warrior |
| moku | island, district; ship | MOH-koo | 20 | Earth |
| maile | maile vine | MY-leh | 19 | Tree |
| ahe | soft breeze | AH-heh | 18 | Wind |
| ānuenue | rainbow | ah-noo-eh-NOO-eh | 18 | Sky |
| kama | child, person | KAH-mah | 18 | Life |
| kēhau | dew | KEH-how | 18 | Rain |
| one | sand | OH-neh | 18 | Earth |
| hau | the hau tree; cool, dew, snow | HOW | 17 | Rain |
| keiki | child, offspring | KAY-kee | 17 | Life |
| liko | leaf bud, new leaf; a child | LEE-koh | 17 | Nature |
| pali | cliff, precipice | PAH-lee | 17 | Mountain |
| ulu | to grow; breadfruit | OO-loo | 17 | Tree |
| melia | plumeria | meh-LEE-ah | 16 | Flower |
| ʻāina | land, earth; that which feeds | AH-ee-nah | 15 | Earth |
| lau | leaf; many | LOW | 15 | Nature |
| loke | rose | LOH-keh | 13 | Flower |
| manu | bird | MAH-noo | 13 | Bird |
| honu | sea turtle | HOH-noo | 12 | Ocean |
| hale | house, home | HAH-leh | 11 | Earth |
| hono | bay; to join | HOH-noh | 11 | Ocean |
| naiʻa | dolphin | NYE-ah | 11 | Ocean |
| nalu | wave, surf | NAH-loo | 11 | Ocean |
| pō | night, darkness | POH | 11 | Moon |
| kukui | candlenut tree; light | koo-KOO-ee | 10 | Light |
| lana | floating, buoyant, calm | LAH-nah | 10 | Peace |
| puna | spring of water; coral | POO-nah | 10 | Water |
| ʻiwa | frigate bird | EE-vah | 9 | Bird |
| mauna | mountain | MOW-nah | 9 | Mountain |
| ʻohana | family, kin | oh-HAH-nah | 9 | Love |
| ehu | spray, mist; reddish | EH-hoo | 8 | Ocean |
| ʻio | Hawaiian hawk | EE-oh | 8 | Bird |
| kāne | man, male, husband; the god Kāne | KAH-neh | 8 | Mythology |
| nahele | forest, wilderness | nah-HEH-leh | 8 | Nature |
| aliʻi | chief, chiefess, royal | ah-LEE-ee | 7 | Royalty |
| kula | gold; plain, open country | KOO-lah | 7 | Earth |
| pueo | Hawaiian short-eared owl | poo-EH-oh | 7 | Bird |
| ʻilima | ʻilima flower | ee-LEE-mah | 6 | Flower |
| kiele | gardenia | kee-EH-leh | 6 | Flower |
| maka | eye, face; beloved | MAH-kah | 6 | Love |
| pīkake | Arabian jasmine | pee-KAH-keh | 6 | Flower |
| hoa | companion, friend | HOH-ah | 5 | Love |
| ipo | sweetheart, lover | EE-poh | 5 | Love |
| kū | to stand, upright; the god Kū | KOO | 5 | Strength |
| leʻa | joy, pleasure, delight | LEH-ah | 5 | Joy |
| nēnē | Hawaiian goose | NEH-neh | 5 | Bird |
| pōhaku | rock, stone | POH-hah-koo | 5 | Earth |
| uʻi | youthful, beautiful | OO-ee | 5 | Beauty |
| ahi | fire | AH-hee | 4 | Fire |
| alohi | to shine, brightness | ah-LOH-hee | 4 | Light |
| hekili | thunder | heh-KEE-lee | 4 | Strength |
| kilohana | the best, superior | kee-loh-HAH-nah | 4 | Wisdom |
| makamae | precious, treasure | mah-kah-MAH-eh | 4 | Gift |
| mele | song, chant, poem | MEH-leh | 4 | Music |
| noa | free, released from kapu | NOH-ah | 4 | Freedom |
| pono | goodness, righteousness, balance | POH-noh | 4 | Wisdom |
| wehi | adornment, ornament | WEH-hee | 4 | Beauty |
| ikaika | strong, powerful | ee-KYE-kah | 3 | Strength |
| maluhia | peace, serenity | mah-loo-HEE-ah | 2 | Peace |