This is a list of submitted names in which the usage is Polynesian; and the pattern is *** or meaning.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Nohaura f PolynesianName of Polynesian origin, composed by "noha", meaning "stay" or "living" and "aura", meaning "light" or "gold". Hence the meaning can be interpreted as "staying in the light" or "living in the light".
Nohea f & m HawaiianDirectly taken from Hawaiian
nohea meaning "handsome, pretty, lovely".
Nohealani f HawaiianMeans "pretty sky," "pretty heaven," "lovely sky" or "lovely heaven," from
nohea meaning "handsome, pretty, lovely" and
lani meaning "sky, heaven, heavenly, spiritual, royal, exalted, noble, aristocratic."
Nohoarii m TahitianMeans "king's house" or "place of the king", from Tahitian
ari'i meaning "king" and
noho meaning "house, home, place".
Nui m MaoriMeans "large, abundant, of high rank, important" in Maori.
Nuihau m TahitianFrom Tahitian
nui "great" and
hau "peace, reign". A known bearer is Nuihau Laurey (1964-), the vice-president of French Polynesia.
Nuʻuanu m & f HawaiianA unisex Hawaiian name derived from the word
nuʻu meaning “height” and
anu meaning “cool”, thus "chilly heights". It is also the name of a cliff, valley, and stream in Honolulu.
Ofania f & m PolynesianOfania is a name derived from the Polynesian Coral Island, called Niue Island. The name means affectinate or loveable.
Onaona f HawaiianMeans "softly fragrant" or "gentle and sweet (as the eyes or disposition)" in Hawaiian.
Opetaia m PolynesianPolynesian form of Obediah or Obadiah, “serving god, serving Yahweh”. A notable bearer of this name is Opetaia Foa’i, composer, singer, guitarist and founder of the Contemporary Polynesian band Te Vaka, and songwriter for Disney's Moana.
Ora f MaoriMeans "life, health" in Māori.
Orihei f TahitianFrom the Tahitian
ori meaning "a dance" and
hei meaning "wreath, garland of flowers".
Orirau m TahitianFrom the Tahitian
rau meaning "a hundred" or "many" and
ori meaning "a dance".
Orivai f PolynesianPolynesian name, composed by "ori", meaning "dance", "dancing" and "vai", meaning "water"; hence the meaning can be interpreted as "dance of the water", "dance of the ocean".
Oro m TahitianEtymology uncertain, Oro is the name of a war god who is the national god of Tahiti.
Oromea f PolynesianPolynesian name, composed by "oro", meaning "heights" and "mea", short for "alamea", meaning "precious", or from "mea"; hence the meaning is "precious heights", or "high one".
Ouena m & f PolynesianPolynesian name, meaning "young and beautiful" or "young and noble".
Ōuenuku m MaoriPersonification of the rainbow in Māori myth. Also Uenuku.
Owai m & f Maorio wai means "from water" in Māori.
Paki m MaoriThis name in English means fine weather. It's also a male personal name. This was the name of a Waikato Chief. This was the name of Paki Whara a Ngati Tama Elder who in the 1800s gather information on the Moriori and Chatham Islands which contributed to the invasion of Chatham Islands.
Pakomio m Rapa NuiThis was the name of Pakomio Maori, the husband of prophetess Angata (d. 1915). This is not only a first name but last name as well.
Pālau m & f HawaiianFrom the Hawaiian word which can mean "to tell tall tales, talk", "war club", or "taro".
Palauni m SamoanSamoan adaptation of
Brown. This was the name Samoans called to British missionary George Brown, who became an important figure in Samoa... [
more]
Pania f Maori, Polynesian MythologyMeans "water" in Māori. Pania, often styled 'Pania of the Reef', was the Māori goddess of water, and is a symbol of the New Zealand city of Napier. A known bearer is Pania Rose (1984-), an Australian model of partial Māori descent.
Paraire m MaoriMeaning as of yet unknown. A known bearer of this name is the Maori politician Paraire Karaka Paikea (1894-1943) from New Zealand.
Parekura m MaoriMeans "battle, battlefield" in Maori. A notable bearer of this name is the Maori politician Parekura Horomia (1950-2013) from New Zealand.
Pashyn f HawaiianVariation of Passion, as used by Pashyn Santos, a Hawaiian actress and activist.
Patukawenga m MaoriThe meaning of this name has not just one meaning possibly due to the
Patu and
Kawenga portions of this name. Patu means "screen", "wall", "edge", etc. Kawenga means "burden". This was the name of the Senior Ngati Mutunga Chief Patukawenga (d... [
more]
Pauahi f & m HawaiianHawaiian unisex name either meaning "consumed by fire" or "putting out fire".
Pawa m MorioriThis name means dust. This was the name of a Moriori elder and expert on Moriori lore named Pawa Ngamunanga Kahuki. The name has and may still be used as a last name.
Piʻilani m & f HawaiianMeans "rising sky" or "to ascend to heaven," from
piʻi meaning "climb, ascend, advance, mount, rise" and
lani meaning "sky, heaven, heavenly, spiritual, royal, exalted, noble, aristocratic."... [
more]
Poe f TahitianMeans "pearl" in Tahitian, of Polynesian origin.
Poehere f TahitianMeans "pearl of love"; a combination of Tahitian
poe "pearl" and
here "love".
Poeiva f TahitianMeans "brilliant pearl"; a combination of
poe "pearl" and
iva, a diminutive of
iva iva meaning "brilliant".
Poema f & m TahitianMeans "pearl of the deep seas"; a combination of Tahitian
poe "pearl" and
mā "clean, pure, clear".
Poerani f TahitianMeans "heavenly pearl" or "divine pearl"; a combination of Tahitian
poe meaning "pearl" and
rani, which is derived from Tuamotuan
rangi meaning "heaven".
Poerava f TahitianMeans "black pearl"; a combination of Tahitian
poe meaning "pearl" and
rava meaning "black".
Pono m HawaiianFrom the word meaning "goodness, morality, excellence, well-being, prosperity."
Poʻokela m HawaiianFrom the word meaning "best, superior, outstanding, greatest, supreme, utmost."
Pualei f Hawaiian (Rare)Means "lei of flower" or "child of blossom," from
pua meaning "flower, blossom" and
lei meaning "lei, garland, wreath, (figuratively) beloved child."
Pueo m & f Hawaiian (Rare)From the word referring to the Hawaiian short-eared owl, the owl being one of the more famous physical forms assumed by ʻaumākua (ancestor spirits) in Hawaiian culture, which vary.
Pumipi m MorioriThis name could maybe be a feminine name. This was the name of a signatory to the 1862 Moriori Crown Petition and Waitangi district leading elder named Pumipi Te Rangaranga.
Purau m & f TahitianMeans "hibiscus tiliaceus" (a type of tropical and coastal flower).
Raiana f TahitianFrom the Tahitian
ra'i meaning "sky" and
ana meaning "star", or
ana meaning "he, she, it" or "belonging to him/her".
Raihau m TahitianMeans "heaven of peace"; a combination of Tahitian
ra'i meaning "heaven" and
hau meaning "peace".
Rangitokona m MorioriThis is the name of the god who divided Heaven and earth and shaped man. This is also the name of a Maori Chief named Te Rangi Tokona.
Rarahu f Literature, TahitianFrench variant of
Rarau used by Pierre Loti in his popular autobiographical novel 'Le mariage de Loti' (1880), where it belongs to a native Tahitian woman who is the lover of the narrator - a French naval officer stationed on the island.
Rauana f TahitianFrom the Tahitian
rau meaning "a hundred" or "many" and possibly
ana meaning "star".
Rauparaha m MaoriThis name in English is "calystegia sepium" a weedy vine or wildflower. New Zealand colonists mistranslated a person with this name "The Robuller." This is the name of Ngati Toa Chief Te Rauparaha (d... [
more]
Ravanui f TahitianMeans "great brown (brunette)"; from Tahitian
rava meaning "brown, dark, black" and
nui meaning "great, immense".
Reuana f PolynesianPolynesian origin name, meaning "grace", "favour", or also "beauty".
Riro m Rapa NuiThe meaning of the name is possibly unknown. This was a name of an araki "king" of Rapa Nui named Riro Kāinga before his name was changed to Simeon Riro after his baptism. Simeon was his baptismal name before he changed it to
Riroroko.
Riu m MaoriMeans "core, basin" in Māori.
Rīwai m MaoriThis word in the Maori tongue is a general term for potato. This is not just a first name but a last name. This was the name of farmhand and son Wairua elder of Te Rōpiha, Rīwai Te Rōpiha. This is a middle name of Ngāi Tahu rugby player Manuera Benjamin Rīwai Couch (1925-1996).
Rohana f MorioriMeaning of this name is possibly not known. This was the name of Rohana Tapu (d. 1902) Moriori slave and wife of Owenga Moriori leader Hirawanu Tapu.
Rongo-mai-tauira m MorioriThis was the name of a Moriori deity. He is the god of lightning and eels as well as "Will of the wisp."
Rongomaitere m MorioriThis is a personal noun. The name has different meanings that deal with the sea. It is an allegorical proportionate for ocean. This noun also means 'peace on the ocean.' One possible meaning is 'ocean god'... [
more]
Rongomaiwhenua m & f MorioriThis name means 'peace on the land' and is a allegorical equal for land. According to Moriori tradition this is the name for one of the founding ancestors of the Moriori and ancestor of the Hamata Moriori tribe who arrived on what is now the Chatham Islands.
Rongomai-whiti m Moriori, MaoriIn a Moriori migration tradition story this is the name of a god who travel with people heading to what is now the Chatham islands. The name in the Maori language is referring to a god. Its possibly an description of Rongo (high ranking Maori god) or Rongomai (Maori god).
Ruataata m TahitianMeans "two people"; a combination of Tahitian
rua "two" and
ta'ata "human".
Ruatapu m MaoriRuatapu tried to kill his half brother, Kahutia-te-rangi (who assumed the name Paikea) and drove him out, forcing him to survive by riding humpback whales to present day New Zealand
Rupe f MaoriFrom the Maori personification of the New Zealand pigeon or kererū.
Salamasina f SamoanName of a queen of Samoa. The name is held with respect there and is only meant for the royal family. It means "forever".
Sālote f TonganTongan form of
Charlotte. The most famous bearer of this name was Queen Sālote Tupou (1900-1965), the third monarch of the kingdom of Tonga and, so far, its only queen regnant.
Sanoe f HawaiianBased off the Hawaiian word
noe, meaning "mist". It is the name of a famous song by Queen Liliuokalani.
Sinasamoa f HawaiianMeans “cinnamon” in Hawaiian. It coincides with the word “ginger” in Samoan.
Sini m & f SamoanSamoan variant of the name “Sydney”.
Taia f MaoriMeans "to paint, to tattoo" in Māori.
Taianui m TahitianMeans "great respect", a combination of Tahitian
taia "to respect, to fear" and
nui "great, immense".
Taika m MaoriMeans "tiger" in Māori. A notable bearer of this name is New Zealand actor and film director Taika Waititi (born 1975).
Taimani f TonganTaimani is of Tongan origin, meaning 'diamond'. It's now used by the entire Pacific community, especially in Fiji, Sāmoa and other Polynesian nations.