Polynesian Origin Names - Behind the Name

Anahera f Maori
Means "angel" in Maori.

Aroha f & m Maori
Means "love" in Maori.

Ātaahua f Maori
Means "beautiful" in Maori.

Āwhina f Maori
Means "help, support" in Maori.

Haukea f Hawaiian
Means "white snow" from Hawaiian hau "snow" and kea "white".

Haumea f Polynesian Mythology
Means "red ruler", from Hawaiian hau "ruler" and mea "reddish brown". Haumea is the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for her in 2008.

Haunani f Hawaiian
Means "beautiful snow" from Hawaiian hau "snow" and nani "beauty, glory".

Heirani f Tahitian
From Tahitian hei "crown, garland" and raʻi "heaven, sky".

Heitiare f Tahitian
From Tahitian hei "crown, garland" and tiare "flower".

Heremoana m Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and moana "ocean".

Herenui f Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and nui "big".

Hiʻiaka f Polynesian Mythology
Means "held essence", derived from Hawaiian hiʻi meaning "hold, carry" and aka meaning "essence, image, embryo". This is the name of a Hawaiian goddess, the youngest sister of the volcano goddess Pele. To help her sister, Hiʻiaka volunteered to retrieve Pele's lover Lohiʻau from a neighbouring island, as long as Pele promised to protect her sacred grove of trees and her lover Hōpoe in her absence. The task took longer than expected and Pele grew impatient, destroying Hiʻiaka's grove and killing her lover.

Hine f Maori
Means "girl" in Maori.

Hōkūlani f Hawaiian
Means "heavenly star" from Hawaiian hōkū "star" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Ikaika m Hawaiian
Means "strong" in Hawaiian.

Iolana f Hawaiian
Means "to soar" in Hawaiian.

Kahurangi f & m Maori
From the name of a type of green gemstone found in New Zealand, meaning "sky blue" in Maori.

Kai 3 m & f Hawaiian
Means "sea" in Hawaiian.

Kailani f Hawaiian
From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and lani "sky, heaven".

Kaimana m & f Hawaiian
From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and mana "power". It is also Hawaiian meaning "diamond", derived from the English word diamond.

Kaipo m & f Hawaiian
Means "the sweetheart" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and ipo "sweetheart".

Kalani m & f Hawaiian
Means "the heavens" from Hawaiian ka "the" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Kalea f Hawaiian
Means "joy, happiness" in Hawaiian.

Kalei m & f Hawaiian
Means "the flowers" or "the child" from Hawaiian ka "the" and lei "flowers, lei, child".

Kaleo m Hawaiian
Means "sound, voice" from Hawaiian ka "the" and leo "sound, voice".

Kamalani f & m Hawaiian
Means "heavenly child" or "royal child" from Hawaiian kama "child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Kanani f Hawaiian
Means "the beauty" from Hawaiian ka "the" and nani "beauty, glory".

Kāne m Polynesian Mythology
Means "man" in Hawaiian, a cognate of Tāne. In Hawaiian mythology Kāne was the creator god.

Kapena m Hawaiian
Means "captain" in Hawaiian (of English origin).

Kapono m Hawaiian
Means "the good one" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and pono "good, moral".

Kapua f & m Hawaiian
Means "the flower" or "the child" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and pua "flower, offspring".

Kauʻi f & m Hawaiian
Means "the youthful one" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and uʻi "youth, beauty".

Kaulana m & f Hawaiian
Means "famous" in Hawaiian.

Kauri m Maori
From the name of a type of tree found in New Zealand (species Agathis australis).

Kawehi f & m Hawaiian
Means "the adornment" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and wehi "adornment".

Kaylani f English (Modern)
Variant of Kailani.

Keahi f & m Hawaiian
Means "the fire" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and ahi "fire".

Keala f & m Hawaiian
Means "the path" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and ala "path".

Kealoha f & m Hawaiian
Means "the loved one" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and aloha "love".

Keano m Dutch (Modern)
Perhaps a variant of Keanu. It was popularized by a child (born 2004) on the Flemish reality show De Pfaffs (2002-2011).

Keanu m & f Hawaiian
Means "the cool breeze" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and anu "coolness". This name is now associated with Canadian actor Keanu Reeves (1964-).

Kehlani f English (Modern)
Variant of Kailani or Kalani. This spelling was popularized by the American singer Kehlani Parrish (1995-), who is known simply as Kehlani.

Kekoa m Hawaiian
Means "the warrior" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and koa "warrior, koa tree".

Keola m Hawaiian
Means "the life" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and ola "life, health".

Keone m & f Hawaiian
Means "the homeland" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and one "sand, homeland".

Kiri f Maori
Means "skin of a tree or fruit" in Maori. This name has been brought to public attention by New Zealand opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa (1944-).

Koa m Hawaiian
Means "warrior, koa tree" in Hawaiian.

Kōnane m & f Hawaiian
Means "bright" in Hawaiian.

Lani f Hawaiian
Means "sky, heaven, royal, majesty" in Hawaiian.

Lehua f & m Hawaiian
Means "ohia flower" in Hawaiian.

Lei 1 m & f Hawaiian
Means "flowers, lei, child" in Hawaiian.

Leilani f & m Hawaiian
Means "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Leimomi f Hawaiian
Means "pearl lei" or "pearl child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and momi "pearl".

Maeva f Tahitian, French
Means "welcome" in Tahitian. It gained popularity in France during the 1980s.

Maile f Hawaiian
From the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.

Makana m & f Hawaiian
Means "gift" in Hawaiian.

Mālie f Hawaiian
Means "calm" in Hawaiian.

Manaia f & m Maori
From the name of a stylized design common in Maori carvings. It represents a mythological creature with the head of a bird and the body of a human.

Marama f & m Maori, Polynesian Mythology
Means "moon" in Maori. This is the name of a moon god (or goddess) in Maori mythology.

Māui m & f Hawaiian, Polynesian Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Hawaiian mythology Māui was a trickster who created the Hawaiian Islands by having his brothers fish them out of the sea. He was also responsible for binding the sun and slowing its movement.

Moana f & m Maori, Hawaiian, Tahitian, Samoan, Tongan
Means "ocean, wide expanse of water, deep sea" in Maori, Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages.

Moerani m & f Tahitian
From Tahitian moe "sleep" and raʻi "heaven, sky".

Momi f Hawaiian
Means "pearl" in Hawaiian.

Nālani f & m Hawaiian
Means "the heavens" or "the chiefs" from Hawaiian nā, a definite article, and lani "heaven, sky, chief".

Nani f Hawaiian
Means "beauty, glory" in Hawaiian.

Ngaio f Maori
Maori name that is derived from the name of a type of tree, also called the mousehole tree. This name was borne by New Zealand crime writer Dame Ngaio Marsh (1895-1982).

Ngaire f Maori
Possibly from the name of the town of Ngaere in New Zealand, of Maori origin meaning "wetland".

Nīkau m Maori
From the name of a type of palm tree found in New Zealand (species Rhopalostylis sapida).

Noelani f Hawaiian
Means "heavenly mist" from Hawaiian noe "mist" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Nyree f English (New Zealand)
Anglicized form of Ngaire. It was borne by New Zealand actress Nyree Dawn Porter (1936-2001).

Papa f Polynesian Mythology
Means "earth" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Papa or Papatuanuku was the goddess of the earth and the mother of many of the other gods. She and her husband Rangi, the god of the sky, were locked in a tight embrace. Their children decided to separate them, a feat of strength accomplished by the god Tāne.

Pele f Polynesian Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire who is said to live in Kilauea. She is considered the creator of the Hawaiian Islands.

Pomare m & f Tahitian
Means "night cough", from Tahitian pō "night" and mare "cough". This name was borne by four kings and a queen of Tahiti. The first king adopted the name after his child died of a cough in the night.

Pua f & m Hawaiian
Means "flower, offspring" in Hawaiian.

Pualani f Hawaiian
Means "heavenly flower" or "royal offspring" from Hawaiian pua "flower, offspring" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Puanani f Hawaiian
Means "beautiful flower" or "beautiful offspring" from Hawaiian pua "flower, offspring" and nani "beauty, glory".

Rangi m Maori, Polynesian Mythology
Means "sky" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Rangi or Ranginui was a god of the sky, husband of the earth goddess Papa. They were locked in a crushing embrace but were eventually separated by their children, the other gods.

Roimata f Maori
Means "teardrop" in Maori.

Tama m Maori
Means "son, boy" in Maori.

Tamatoa m Tahitian
From Tahitian tama "child" and toa "warrior".

Tāne m Maori, Polynesian Mythology
Means "man" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Tāne was the god of forests and light. He was the son of the sky god Rangi and the earth goddess Papa, who were locked in an embrace and finally separated by their son. He created the tui bird and, by some accounts, man.

Tangaroa m Polynesian Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Polynesian mythology he was the god of the sea, the son of Rangi and Papa. He separated his parents' embrace, creating the earth and the sky.

Tiare f Tahitian
Means "flower" in Tahitian, also specifically referring to the species Gardenia taitensis.

Uʻilani f & m Hawaiian
Means "heavenly beauty" or "royal beauty" from Hawaiian uʻi "youth, beauty" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Vaihere f Tahitian
From Tahitian vai "water" and here "loved, dear".

Vaimiti f Tahitian
From Tahitian vai "water" and miti "sea, salt".

Vaitiare f Tahitian
From Tahitian vai "water" and tiare "flower".

Waimarie f Maori
Means "good luck" in Maori.

Whetū f & m Maori
Means "star" in Maori.

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