Ka is the definite article, the, and it begins hundreds of Hawaiian names. Kalani is the heavens, Kealoha the loved one, Kanoe the mist. Before words that start with k, e, a, or o the article becomes ke, which is why it is Kekoa and Keola but Kalani and Kanani. A name beginning with ka or ke points to one particular thing: not a sky but the sky.
Say it KAH. Every vowel is pronounced, and the capitalized syllable takes the stress. The pronunciation guide covers the rules.
Names that start with ka (83)
Ka comes first, and the second word says what kind.
Sources the Pukui and Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary, Place Names of Hawaii, Nānā i ke Kumu, wehewehe.org, Wiktionary's Hawaiian given names and U.S. Social Security baby-name records. How this site is compiled · Send a correction
Questions people ask
What does ka mean?
Ka means the. Ka is the definite article, the, and it begins hundreds of Hawaiian names.
How do you pronounce ka?
KAH. Every vowel is a separate sound and the stressed syllable is written in capitals.
Is ka a Hawaiian name on its own?
Ka is not usually given as a name by itself, but it is part of 85 names on this site, such as Kalani, Kaleʻa, Kainoa.