Hawaiian Names for Boys
Updated Tue Jun 09 2020
Share
Copy link
Hawaiian names for boys are less familiar to most people than the popular girls' names. Keanu Reeves made his Hawaiian name famous, but most of the Hawaiian boy names here are not as well-known.
Nameberry's full roster of Hawaiian boy names is listed here. 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.
Nameberry's full roster of Hawaiian boy names is listed here. 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.
- Kai
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"sea"Description:
Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries.
- Kane
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"warrior"Description:
A name of multiple identities: a somewhat soap-operatic single-syllable surname, a homonym for the biblical bad boy Cain, and, when found in Japan and Hawaii, it transforms into the two syllable KA-neh. Kane also has multiple meanings: in Welsh, it's "beautiful"; in Japanese, "golden"; and in Hawaiian, "man of the Eastern sky."
- Keanu
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"the coolness, or the cool breeze"Description:
An evocative name brought from Hawaii to the mainland by Keanu Reeves, who was born in Beirut to a part-Hawaiian, part-Chinese father. It moved into the Top 1000 for the first time in over a decade in 2016. Keanu ranks among
- Lio
Origin:
Variation of Leo, LatinMeaning:
"lion"Description:
This alternative spelling of Leo is popular with German-speaking parents. It's rare in English-speaking areas, which could be a burden, but the advantage is that it could be short for (or honor) a name such as Julio or Lionel.
- Hoku
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"night of the full moon"Description:
Like a large proportion of traditional Hawaiian names, Hoku can be used for both girls and boys.
- Kale
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Whether you think of it as Cale with a K, or a pet form of Kalen or Kaleb, this is just the kind of short, synthetic name finding a lot of favor now, but remember -- it's also the name of a vegetable.
- Keahi
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"flames"Description:
Hawaiian names are having a moment, and this one, despite its strong meaning, is relatively undiscovered. The pronunciation may not be immediately obvious, but it didn't hurt Keanu Reeves.
- Kalani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"the heavens"Description:
This name is one of the hot new spiritual names for both sexes. In Hawaiian it means "chieftain of the sky" or "spirit of the sky,"and is extremely popular for boys.
- Makeo
Origin:
Hawaiian version of MateoDescription:
Makeo is a rare name, which peaked in usage in the USA in 2012, when it was given to six little boys. Despite this rarity, its similarity to names like Mateo (to which it is related), Arlo, etc. means it is ripe for a spike in popularity.
- Akoni
- Iakona
Origin:
Hawaiian variation of JasonMeaning:
"healer"Description:
The Hawaiian variant Iakona modernizes Biblical favorite Jason.
- Lui
- Nohea
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"handsome"Description:
Any name that means handsome has something going for it, and Nohea may appeal especially due to its proximity to the popular Noah.
- Ikaia
- Alani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"orange tree"Description:
A name known in several cultures.
- Paulo
Origin:
Portuguese, Swedish, and Hawaiian variation of PaulDescription:
Paulo suffers in comparison to the richer and more authentic-sounding Paolo.
- Ulesi
- Namaka
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"eyes"Description:
For a baby with beautiful eyes.
- Uleki
- Palani
Origin:
Hawaiian variation of FrankDescription:
One of the Hawaiian names being discovered by stylish parents, especially Californians.