Polynesian Submitted Names

These names are used on the various Polynesian islands of the Pacific.
gender
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Sela f Tongan
Tongan form of Sarah.
Selesii f Tongan (Rare)
Tongan borrowing of Chelsea.
Semis m Samoan
Samoan form of James.
Semisi m Tongan
Tongan form of James.
Senifa f Tongan
Tongan equivalent of Jennifer.
Sesimani f Tongan
Tongan form of Jasmine.
Siale m Tongan (Rare)
Diminutive of Salesi, as well as the Tongan form of Charlie.
Siaosi m Tongan, Samoan
Tongan and Samoan form of George.
Sifa m Tongan
Short form of Siosifa.
Sina f Polynesian Mythology, Samoan
The name of a number of figures in Samoan mythology. It is derived from sina meaning "white" or "grey haired".
Sinalei f & m Samoan
"Lei of flowers"
Sinasamoa f Hawaiian
Means “cinnamon” in Hawaiian. It coincides with the word “ginger” in Samoan.
Siola'a f Tongan
Means "sunflower" in Tongan.
Siosefa m Tongan
Tongan form of Joseph.
Siosifa m Tongan
Tongan form of Joseph.
Siosiua m Tongan
Tongan form of Joshua.
Sitenei f Tongan
Tongan equivalent of Sydney.
Siua m Tongan
Short form of Siosiua.
Solomona m Hawaiian, Biblical Hawaiian
Older Hawaiian form of Solomon. It appears in the Bible in Hawaiian.
Sonatane m Tongan
Tongan form of Jonathan.
Soni m Tongan
Tongan diminutive of Sione.
Sosefina f Tongan, Chuukese
Tongan and Chuukese form of Josephine.
Sosiua m Tongan
Tongan form of Joshua.
Sueleb f Polynesian
Means "noon" in Palauan.
Sulia f Tongan
Tongan form of Julia.
Suliani m Tongan
Tongan form of Julian.
Taai m & f Polynesian
Means "sun" in Gilbertese.
Taari m & f Polynesian
Means "sea" in Gilbertese.
Tabuang m Polynesian
Means "holy wind" in Gilbertese.
Taeao f Samoan
Means "dawn, morning" in Samoan.
Taenga f Maori
Means "arrival" in Maori.
Tai m Maori
Means "tide" in Māori.
Taia f Maori
Means "to paint, to tattoo" in Māori.
Taianui m Tahitian
Means "great respect", a combination of Tahitian taia "to respect, to fear" and nui "great, immense".
Taika m Maori
Means "tiger" in Māori. A notable bearer of this name is New Zealand actor and film director Taika Waititi (born 1975).
Taimane f Samoan
Means "diamond" in Samoan.
Taimani f Tongan
Taimani is of Tongan origin, meaning 'diamond'. It's now used by the entire Pacific community, especially in Fiji, Sāmoa and other Polynesian nations.
Taine m Maori
Variant of Tane.
Taini f Maori (Rare)
This is the name of Taini Morrison who was a Maori arts performer in New Zealand.
Tainui m Maori
Historic canoe from Hawaiki.
Taitearii m Tahitian
Means "king of the sea", a combination of Tahitian tai meaning "sea" and te ari'i meaning "the king".
Taito m Fijian, Samoan, Rotuman
Fijian and Samoan form of Titus.
Taitoko m Maori
Means "spring tide, tidal wave" in Māori.
Takina m & f Popular Culture, Maori
Means ‘required’ in Maori. Also the name of a feral character appearing in the Canadian Mockbuster film the Jungle Boy.
Tala m & f Samoan
Means "story" in Samoan.
Talalelei f Samoan
Means "good news" in Samoan.
Tamaeva f Polynesian
A famous bearer of this name is Tamaeva IV, queen of the Polynesian island of Rimatara.
Tamahere m Tahitian
Means "beloved child", from Tahitian tamariʻi meaning "child" and here "love".
Tamaki m Maori
Maori name meaning the Auckland area of New Zealand.
Tamakororo m Moriori
This name may also been used and may be use by females today. This was the name of a Moriori man who was killed in 1791 after a misunderstanding over a fishing net with the first outsiders who came to what is now the Chatham Islands.
Tamarua m Cook Islands Maori
Means "second child," from tama meaning "child" and rua meaning "two."
Tamatea m Maori
Means "moon on the eighth night of the lunar month" in Maori.
Tame m Moriori
Meaning of this name is apparently unknown. This was the name of the last full blooded Moriori (Owenga and Otonga tribes) Tame Horomona Rehe aka Tommy Solomon (1884-1933) and Moriori elder Tame Tainui Tawarere.
Taniela m Fijian, Tongan
Fijian and Tongan form of Daniel.
Tanieli f Tongan
Tongan feminine form of Taniela.
Taniera m & f Maori
Maori form of Daniel or Daniela.
Tanrake m Polynesian
Means "ocean" in Gilbertese.
Tapairu f Tahitian
Means "royal dancer" or "royal attendant" in Tahitian.
Tapu f Maori
Means "sacred" and "forbidden" in Māori.
Tapuarii m Tahitian
Derived from tapu meaning "sacred" and ari'i meaning "king".
Tapunui m Tahitian
Combination of Tahitian tapu "forbidden" and nui "earth".
Tara f & m Maori
Means "peak, point" in Māori. Also Māori for "sternidae".
Tarita f Polynesian, English (American), Popular Culture
The name was borne by the native Polynesian actress Tarita Teriipia who became the third wife of Marlon Brando. Initial research indicates its a Sanskrit name meaning, "to overcome obstacles" but this needs further research.
Tariu m Maori
Maori form of Thaddeus.
Tataro m Polynesian
Means "prayer" in Gilbertese.
Taufa m Maori
Masculine name meaning 'warrior'.
Tausa’afia m & f Samoan
Means "pleasant; lovable" in Samoan.
Tauvakatai m & f Polynesian
Means "one canoe" in Anutan.
Tava'esina f Samoan
Derived from the Samoan tava'e meaning "tropical bird" and sina meaning "white, grey, silver".
Tāwera f Maori
Means "Venus" in Maori.
Teanuanua m Tahitian
Means "the rainbow" in Tahitian.
Teao m & f Maori
Means "the world, the day" in Māori.
Tearaamanu m & f Polynesian
Means "Path of birds" in Anutan.
Tearoha f & m Maori
Means "the love" in Maori (te, "the" and aroha, "love"). A variant of Aroha. May also be spelled Te Aroha.
Teata m & f Tahitian
Means "the cloud" in Tahitian.
Teben m Polynesian
Means "coconut" in Gilbertese.
Tehani f Tahitian, Hawaiian, Literature
Derived from Tahitian te meaning "the" and hani meaning "darling". This was used for a character in the novel Mutiny on the Bounty (1932) by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall... [more]
Tehea f Tahitian
Feminine of the unisex name, Tehei, meaning 'crown'.
Teheiura m & f Tahitian
Derived from Tahitian te hei 'ura literally meaning "the red crown".
Teina m & f Maori
means "brother" in Maori language.
Teira m & f Maori
Maori form of Taylor.
Tekaha m & f Maori
Means "the strength, a ritual chant to give strength" in Māori.
Tekāhu m & f Maori
From Te Kāhu meaning "harrier hawk" in Māori. Transliteration of "hawk".
Tekoha m Maori
"The Gift; Gifted"
Temuera m Maori
Transferred use of the surname Temuera.
Tenama f Polynesian
Means "lagoon" in Gilbertese.
Tenao m Polynesian
Means "the wave" in Gilbertese.
Tengausasabe f Polynesian
Means "the hundred flying fish" in Bellonese.
Tenii f Polynesian
Means "coconut tree" in Gilbertese.
Teniu'usi m & f Polynesian
Means "the dark coconut" in Bellonese.
Teori m & f Maori
Tēpene m Maori
Maori form of Stephen.
Te Poki m Maori
The possibly meaning of this name is, "to clear the garden." This was the name of a Senior Ngati Mutunga chief.
Terava f Tahitian
From the Tahitian te meaning "the" and rava meaning "dark, brownish".
Tereapiʻi f & m Cook Islands Maori
Means "journey to learn," derived from tere meaning "trip, voyage, journey" and apiʻi meaning "learn, study."
Teremoana f & m Cook Islands Maori
Derived from tere meaning "trip, voyage, journey" and moana meaning "ocean."
Teuira m & f Tahitian
From the Tahitian te meaning "the" and uira meaning "lightning".
Teura m & f Tahitian
From the Tahitian te meaning "the" and 'ura, an archaic term meaning "red".
Teva m Tahitian
Means rain, name of a tribe.
Tevahine f Tahitian
From the Tahitian te meaning "the" and vahine meaning "woman".
Tevai m Tahitian
Means "water" in Tahitian.
Tevairai m & f Tahitian
Means "the celestial water" in Tahitian.
Tewakepare f Maori
Unknown
Tiaho f Maori
Means "shining" or "shine" in Maori.
Tiaitau m & f Tahitian
Means "long wait" in Tahitian.
Tiaki m Maori
Maori form of Jack, coinciding with the Maori word meaning "guard, keep">
Tiarehere f Tahitian
From Tahitian tiare meaning "flower, tiare flower" and here meaning "beloved, favourite".
Tiarenui f Tahitian
From the Tahitian tiare meaning "flower, tiare flower" and nui, an archaic term meaning "big".```
Tihani f Polynesian
Tahitian
Tihoti m Tahitian
Tahitian form of John.
Tikanga m & f Maori
Means "important customs" in Māori.
Tino m Maori, Cook Islands Maori
Means "important" in Maori.
Tio m Maori
Means "freezing cold" in Māori. Also Māori form of Joe
Tipi f & m Maori
It means “affect by incantations” and “pare, slice, pare off”. This is the name of a female cousin of Senior Ngati Mutunga Chief Patukawenga who was married to a Waikato chief of Ngatikoroki named Taui... [more]
Titaina f Tahitian
Combination of Tahitian taina meaning "Gardenia jasminoides" (a type of flower) and the prefix ti- meaning "small".
Tīwata f Maori
Means "pale" in Maori.
Toa m Maori
Means "warrior" in Maori.
Toahere f Tahitian
Combination of Tahitian toa meaning "warrior" and here meaning "love".
Toʻerau m & f Tahitian
Means "north" or "northeastern wind" in Tahitian.
Tomasi m Tongan, Melanesian, Fijian
Tongan form of Thomas.
Torea m Moriori
This name means oystercatcher. This was the name of a Owenga Moriori Chief named Torea Takarehe (d. 1876) who was the teacher of Moriori elder Hirawanu Tapu.
Toroa f & m Maori
Derived from Maori toroa "albatross", ultimately from Maori toro "to stretch; to extend".
Toromona m Tahitian
Tahitian form of Solomon.
Towee m Polynesian
Originates in Puerto Rico from the word "tougue"
Tuahine f Tahitian
Means "sister" in Tahitian.
Tuari m & f Maori
Tui f & m Maori
Tui is the Maori name for the bird (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), which are easily identified for their small tuft of white feathers at the neck.... [more]
Tuki m Tahitian
Means "heartbeat" in Tahitian.
Tulisa’a f Tongan
Short form of Petulisa.
Turia f Tahitian
The name of model Turia Mau.
Tusitala m Samoan
Means "teller of tales" in Samoan. This name was adopted by the writer Robert Louis Stevenson when he lived on the island.
Ualani f Hawaiian
Means "rain from heaven" or "heavenly rain" in Hawaiian.
Uesi m Polynesian (Rare)
Possibly from Samoan aisa ("ice").
Uinirau m Tahitian
Contracted form of the Tahitian phrase te manu ri'i 'uini rau maruao meaning "small birds chirping at dawn".
Uira m & f Tahitian
Contracted form of the Tahitian phrase 'anapa te uira i te 'iriātai meaning "lighting flashing across the horizon".
Uitimani m Tongan
Diminutive of Uolota.
Ulanni f Polynesian
Variant of Ulani.
Uli m & f Hawaiian
Masculine form and feminine short form of Uliuli.
Uliuli f Hawaiian
Means "blue" in Hawaiian.
Uloi m Tongan
Tongan equivalent of Roy.
Ului m Polynesian
Means "to convert" in Samoan.
Ululani f Hawaiian
Means "heavenly inspiration" from Hawaiian ulu "to grow, be inspired" and lani "heaven, sky". This was the name of a ruler of Hilo.
Uluwehi f Hawaiian
From the Hawaiian uluwehi, "a lush and beautiful verdure; a place where beautiful plants live".
Umata f Tongan
Means "rainbow" in Tongan.
Uolota m Tongan
Tongan form of Walter.
Upai m & f Hawaiian
Means "tall, thin" in Hawaiian.
Upokoʻina m & f Cook Islands Maori
Derived from upoko meaning "head" and ʻina meaning "grey hair(ed)"
Upumoni f Samoan
Means "truth" in Samoan.
Ura m & f Tahitian
From Tahitian 'ura meaning "red" or "purple".
Uraatua m & f Tahitian
Derived from ura meaning "red" and atua meaning "god".
Uramoe m & f Tahitian
Derived form ura meaning "red" and moe meaning "sleep, dream".
Uranui m & f Tahitian
Derived from ura meaning "red" and nui meaning "big".
Uravini m Tahitian
Combination of Tahitian 'ura meaning "red" or "purple" and vini meaning "black-fronted parakeet" (a type of bird found on Tahiti).
Vaea m & f Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian, Polynesian Mythology
Meaning unknown, though it likely means "king, prince, noble, chief" based on the fact that the meaning of Mapu 'a Vaea, natural blowholes in Houma on the island of Tongatapu in Tonga, is known to be 'Whistle of the Noble/Chief/King' in Tongan... [more]
Vahinearii f Tahitian
From the Tahitian vahine meaning "woman" and ari'i meaning "noble".
Vaiana f Tahitian
Means "water cave" or "rock water" in Tahitian, from the phrase vai ana o te mato teitei meaning "water from the cave of the high rock".
Vaianu f Tahitian
Contracted form of the Tahitian phrase Vai anu o te rua mato meaning "fresh water from the rock hole".
Vaiarii m & f Tahitian
From the Tahitian vai meaning "water" and ari'i meaning "high chief, king", idiomatically meaning "royal water".
Vaiata f Tahitian
Means "rain" (literally "water of the clouds"), from Tahitian vai meaning "water" and ata meaning "cloud".
Vaiatea f & m Tahitian
Means "distant waters" from Tahitian vai meaning "water" and atea meaning "distant, far away".
Vaihau m & f Tahitian
Means "calm water" in Tahitian.
Vaimitiarii f Tahitian
From the Tahitian vai meaning "water", miti meaning "sea", and ari'i meaning "noble", ultimately "noble sea water".
Vaipoe f Tahitian
Derived from the Tahitian word vai meaning "water" and poe meaning "pearl".
Vairea f Tahitian
Means "sparkling water" in Tahitian.
Vaite f Tahitian
Derived from Tahitian vāite meaning "soul, spirit".
Vaitea m Tahitian
Means "clear water"; a combination of Tahitian vai meaning "water" and tea meaning "white, clear".
Vaiura m & f Tahitian
Derived from the Tahitian vai meaning "water" and archaic 'ura meaning "red".
Vakangoto f Polynesian
Means "sunken canoe" in Anutan.
Vanimonimo m & f Samoan
Means "expanse of sky, firmament" in Samoan.
Vasa m & f Samoan
Means "(open) ocean, sea" in Samoan.
Vasaloloa f Samoan
Means "ocean; ocean water" in Samoan.
Vetea m Tahitian
Means "to be open" in Tahitian.
Vikolia f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Victoria.
Viliamu m Samoan
Samoan form of William
Waata m Maori
Variant of Wāta.
Wahineʻaeʻa f Hawaiian
From the Hawaiian word wahine meaning "woman" and 'ae'a meaning "wandering".
Wai f & m Polynesian, Hawaiian
From the proto-Polynesian root *waiʀ meaning "water" in most Polynesian languages.
Waiata f & m Maori
Means "song" in Maori. Combined with Aroha it means "song of love, love song" Waiata-aroha.
Wailana f Hawaiian
flowing sky
Wailani f Hawaiian
Means "heavenly water" from Hawaiian wai "water" and lani "heaven, sky".
Wailele f Hawaiian
Means "waterfall" in Hawaiian.
Waiola f Hawaiian
Derived from Hawaiian wai "(fresh) water" and ola "life". It is sometimes Anglicized as Viola.
Waiolani m Hawaiian
Means "heavenly water" in Hawaiian.
Waipuna m Hawaiian
Meaning "spring water", from the Hawaiian elements wai "water" and puna "spring (of water)".
Waitara f Maori
Derived from the Maori waitara, possibly meaning "mountain stream" or "pure water".
Wakina m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Joaquin.
Walenekina f Hawaiian
Hawaiian translation of Valentina.
Wales m English (American), Samoan
From a place name in the United Kingdom. Derives from the Old English Wælisc, meaning 'foreigner, Welshman'.
Walonika f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Veronica.
Wanika f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Juanita.
Wasa f Polynesian
From Proto-Polynesian *wasa, meaning "sea".
Wāta m Maori
Maori form of Walter.
Watorea f & m Indigenous Australian, Maori
Derived from Maori wātō rea meaning "sunset". This name was used for a tropical cyclone in 1976 near Australia.
Wharekura m Maori
This name means "school of learning". Its also the name of a building where tohunga (priest) taught esoteric lore to students of his. This was the name of a Ngati Tama chief named Te Wharekura of the Ngati Wai Ngati Tama clan who along with his clan killed and cooked 50 Moriori in the mid-1800s at Te Raki in what is now Chatham Islands.
Wikitōria f Maori
Maori form of Victoria.
Wiliama m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of William.
Winika f Maori
From the Maori name of Christmas orchids (Dendrobium cunninghamii), a type of orchid that is endemic to the New Zealand. This name could also be written as Te Winika, which means "the Christmas orchid".
Wirara f Polynesian
Means "rainbow" in Gilbertese.
Zsalei f Polynesian
Tahitian