Hawaiian Names for Girls
Updated Tue Jun 09 2020
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Hawaiian names for girls are becoming more fashionable every day, with lani appended to a range of prefixes to produce lovely sounds and names such as Leilani, Kalani, and Melani. If you have Hawaiian ancestry or you simply love the sound of the language and feel of the land, consider one of these Hawaiian names for your baby girl.
Here, our full list of Hawaiian girl names. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
Here, our full list of Hawaiian girl names. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
- Kaia
Origin:
Latin, Scandinavian, or HawaiianMeaning:
"to rejoice or sea"Description:
The new Maia, the next Kayla, Kaia has been on the charts since the year 2000. You might see it as a female form of the also-rising Kai, which means sea in Hawaiian and is sometimes used for girls as well, or as a Kardashianization of the ancient goddess name Caia.
- Lilia
Origin:
RussianMeaning:
"lily"Description:
One of a group of pretty double L names, Lilia is more unusual and distinctive than some others. Truly cross-cultural, the lilting Lilia is heard in the Russian, Spanish, Hebrew, and Hawaiian communities and would be a good choice for a child born to parents of different ethnicities.
- Naia
Origin:
Hawaiian, Greek, BasqueMeaning:
"dolphin; to flow; wave, sea foam"Description:
Multicultural option, equally intriguing as, but more unusual than, Maia.
- Leilani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"heavenly flower"Description:
Lyrical, lively and bold, Leilani is a name that feels fresh, floral, and summery. Sharing sounds with the popular Lillian, Layla and Luna, Leilani is a fairly recent addition to the US Top 100.
- Kai
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"sea"Description:
This appealing multi-cultural name, pronounced KYE, is beginning to be used for girls as well as boys. Among its many derivations and meanings: "sea" in Hawaiian, "forgiveness" in Japanese, "willow tree" in Navajo, "food" in Maori, and "earth" in Scandinavian. For girls, it debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2010.
- Kailani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"sea and sky"Description:
This name's similarity to Kalani and pretty Hawaiian origin helped catapult it into the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013.
- Kalina
Origin:
PolishMeaning:
"viburnum"Description:
Kalina, known as a girls' name throughout Eastern Europe, translates literally to viburnum in Polish, making it a botanical name. Viburnum is a flowering shrub. Some sources translate this name as simply "flower." Variations may include Kaline, Kalena, and Kalene.
- Malia
Origin:
Hawaiian variation of MaryMeaning:
"bitter"Description:
Malia was made famous by the older daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama, given a Hawaiian name as a nod to President Obama's childhood home state.
- Alani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"orange tree"Description:
One of those names you may not even be aware of if you haven't been paying attention to recent naming trends, Alani was given to more than 700 baby girls in the US in one recent year, to be the second most popular feminization of Alan after Alana. It's certainly the most modern-sounding female version of Alan.
- Kalea
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"joy, happiness"Description:
Kalea is a Top 100 name for girls in Hawaii. Sources differ on the meaning of the name, but the most authoritative land on joy or happiness...though kalea is also the Hawaiian word for orgasm.
- Nalani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"calm skies"Description:
Evocative of tranquil island escapes. One of several Hawaiian (and pseudo-Hawaiian) names ending in "-ani" that's soaring in popularity, Nalani made its debut on the US Top 1000 in 2016.
- Noelani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"heavenly mist"Description:
Unusual yet accessible Hawaiian choice. The Noel beginning makes it a possible name for baby girls born at Christmas.
- Maile
Origin:
Hawaiian nature nameDescription:
Captivating and appealing name — a maile is a vine used to make leis — getting noticed via writer Maile Meloy. Many pronounce it ala Miley, as in Cyrus, though native Hawaiian speakers say the correct pronunciation is more like MY-lay or MY-leh.
- Alika
Origin:
Hawaiian; SwahiliMeaning:
"truthful; most beautiful"Description:
Alika is a multicultural choice that's far off the beaten track.
- Kala
Origin:
Tamil; HawaiianMeaning:
"Virtue; princess"
- Kalani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"the heavens"Description:
Kalani is a rhythmic name that can be used for either gender though feels more feminine in the contemporary culture. It only just entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2015.
- Malu
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"peace"Description:
Malu is a charming Hawaiian name chosen by ex-Talking Head David Byrne for his daughter. Malu might also be an abbreviated form of Malou, which is an abbreviated form of Mary Louise. Malu or Malou might be a retro-chic nickname for a child given the family names of Mary and/or Louise.
- Halia
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"remembrance of a loved one"Description:
Halia is one of Hawaii's top baby names, in the Top 50 for girls in 2021. But it's rare outside its native Hawaii, given to only 57 baby girls in the US last year.
- Maliyah
Origin:
Hawaiian variation of MaryMeaning:
"bitter"Description:
This version of Malia (as in Obama) peaked at Number 296 in 2009, though it has lost ground since then.
- Hani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"joyful"Description:
Sweet multicultural name.