What does lei mean in Hawaiian?
A lei is a garland of flowers, leaves, shells, or feathers worn around the neck or on the head. In poetry and in names a lei is a beloved child, someone carried close, and the word is a term of endearment on its own. Leilani (heavenly lei), Leimomi (pearl lei), and Leinani (beautiful lei) are among the most used Hawaiian girl names.
Say it LAY. Every vowel is pronounced, and the capitalized syllable takes the stress. The pronunciation guide covers the rules.
On this site lei is part of 18 names: 7 begin with it, 6 end with it, and 5 carry it elsewhere. Most are girl names, and all of them sit in the group of Hawaiian names meaning flower.