Hawaiian name
Encyclopedia
A Hawaiian name is a name
in the Hawaiian language
. Such names are popular not only in Hawaiian families, but also among other residents of Hawaii
, and even in the United States
mainland among both non-native and native Hawaiians
.
Coolness and rain symbolize happiness in a warm climate. Mist is a symbol of romance. Lei means a child, because a beloved child is carried like a lei
on the parent's shoulders. A child can also be a flower or a bud, regardless of its sex. Modern parents tend to be more prosaic, calling a child a child, as in Keikilani and Kamalani, in which keiki and kama both mean "child".
Any incident at the time of birth might be commemorated in a name. A famous example was the Queen Liliuokalani ("scorching pain of the heaven"), called Liliu ("scorch") Kamakaeha ("the sore eye") in childhood. The name was chosen by her great-aunt Kīnau who was suffering from an eye-ache. A person might have several names, formal and informal, and names were changed if they seemed harmful. If a child fell ill, evil sorcery was often suspected. The parents might change the name into something repulsive, like Pupuka ("ugly") or Kūkae ("excrement") in order to protect the child. Such names did not cause ostracism among Hawaiians, but foreign visitors were scandalized. An American writes in 1851:
In nineteenth century marriage documents, we can find several Hawaiians named, for example, Kamai ("the illness; the genitals"), Kaaihue ("the thief"), Kapela ("the filth") and Waiwaiole ("worthless"). However, the majority of names have quite pleasant meanings, or are simply descriptive. The most common names, used by both genders, were Kalua ("the second child, companion"), Keawe ("the strand", symbolic of lineage), Kamaka ("the eye", symbolic of beloved one), Keaka ("the shadow, essence"), Kealoha ("the love"), Ōpūnui ("big belly", sign of high social class), and Māhoe ("twin"). The most striking feature of nineteenth century names is their diversity. A unique name was the rule, not the exception. The ten most common names cover only four percent of the population.
signed the Act to Regulate Names. Hawaiians were to take their father's given name as a surname, and all children born henceforth were to receive a Christian, i.e. English, given name. Hawaiian names were transferred into middle names. The law was not repealed until 1967.
After the annexation of Hawaii to the U.S., knowledge of the Hawaiian language deteriorated. Grandparents could give traditional names to the next two generations, but a baby born into a Hawaiian family in the 2000s might not have any native speaker relatives. Names are borrowed from well-known persons, royalty, mythology, and songs. However, names are sometimes borrowed from direct ancestors and other family members. Mary Kawena Pukui
, a traditional Hawaiian, expressed her unease with this practice:
Phonetic renderings of western names, such as Kimo (Jim) and Lāhela (Rachel), have become names in their own right. The film industry produces pseudo-Hawaiian names, from Aloma of the South Seas (1926) to Lilo & Stitch
(2002). For many Hawaiian words, the okina
(glottal stop) and kahakō
(macron to denote a long vowel) are important to the meaning of a word. They are often ignored in English texts, or okina are added where they do not belong. Hawaiian vowels should be pronounced clearly even when they are not stressed. The name of Malia Obama, when it is m, is actually an English name of Hawaiian origin.
and Honolulu Star-Bulletin
1994–2004, and samples of births and marriages on Oahu
in Honolulu Star-Bulletin 2000–2005. It's a small sample with an uneven age distribution, and centered on Oahu. But no one else seems to have researched the subject at all.
The 3,750 persons in the survey had a total of 1,996 different names. 418 of these names had eight or more syllables (up to 44). The proportion of long names was diminishing but it took an upward turn in 2000–2005. Hawaiian names occur as middle names until the 1960s. Even today, middle names outnumber first names by four to one. A minority of parents have started giving nothing but Hawaiian names to their children. In births registered on Oahu 2001–2002, about 25% of girls and 15% of boys received at least one Hawaiian name.
Names with negative meaning have disappeared in this sample, and the unisex quality is waning. Many favorite names a hundred years ago, like Kealoha, Kalei, Leialoha, and Keonaona, were popular with both sexes. Today, the trendiest names are different for girls and boys. Modern parents seemed to think that the ending -lani belongs to women: 31% of women but only 11% of men had names ending in -lani (heaven), -o-ka-lani (of Heaven), -o-nā-lani (of the heavens) or -mai-ka-lani (from Heaven), a recent innovation. Names beginning with the definite article
Ka-/Ke- seem to have a masculine image: 46% of men but only 33% of women had such names.
Five percent of the women in this survey were named Leilani
("heavenly lei"). Other popular women's names included:
Kalani ("the sky; the high chief") was a reasonably popular men's name in all age groups. Other popular names for men included:
The Social Security Administration gives out annual lists of the top hundred names for boys and girls in the State of Hawaii, starting from the year 1960. They are based on first names while a Hawaiian name usually comes second. A few Hawaiian names make it into these lists every year. In 2008, they were Kaila ("style/the birthmark", although this is also an English variant of Kayla
), Maile, Malia, Kalena ("the yellow"), Kiana (Diana), Alana and Kamalei ("lei child") for girls, and Kai, Kainoa, Keanu ("the coolness"), Kainalu ("billowy sea"), Nāinoa, Kaimana and Kanoa ("the commoner, free man") for boys.
Name
A name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
in the Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
. Such names are popular not only in Hawaiian families, but also among other residents of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and even in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mainland among both non-native and native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
.
Meanings of names
Genuine Hawaiian names are unisex. Their literal meaning is usually quite clear, but there may be hidden symbolic meanings known only to the family. Old Hawaiians saw a name as the property of the name-holder, with a power to help or hurt its owner. A meaning that was too apparent might have attracted evil forces. And, just like in Hawaiian poetry, an allusion was considered more beautiful than a plain statement.Coolness and rain symbolize happiness in a warm climate. Mist is a symbol of romance. Lei means a child, because a beloved child is carried like a lei
Lei (Hawaii)
Lei is a Hawaiian word for a garland or wreath. More loosely defined, a lei is any series of objects strung together with the intent to be worn. The most popular concept of a lei in Hawaiian culture is a wreath of flowers draped around the neck presented upon arriving or leaving as a symbol of...
on the parent's shoulders. A child can also be a flower or a bud, regardless of its sex. Modern parents tend to be more prosaic, calling a child a child, as in Keikilani and Kamalani, in which keiki and kama both mean "child".
Traditional naming practices
Old Hawaiians coined a new name for each child, with careful thought of its meaning. Names might be revealed in dreams or visions. Children could be named after relatives, but names were not copied from other families. Hawaii was a hierarchical society, and the name had to be suitable to one's social class and family gods. Names beginning with Kelii-("the chief") or ending in -lani("sky") were reserved for chiefs. The lowest social kauwā (slave) class were only allowed to take simple names from natural objects.Any incident at the time of birth might be commemorated in a name. A famous example was the Queen Liliuokalani ("scorching pain of the heaven"), called Liliu ("scorch") Kamakaeha ("the sore eye") in childhood. The name was chosen by her great-aunt Kīnau who was suffering from an eye-ache. A person might have several names, formal and informal, and names were changed if they seemed harmful. If a child fell ill, evil sorcery was often suspected. The parents might change the name into something repulsive, like Pupuka ("ugly") or Kūkae ("excrement") in order to protect the child. Such names did not cause ostracism among Hawaiians, but foreign visitors were scandalized. An American writes in 1851:
- "You might know that a people must have been vile from the vile names they assume and wear without shame - names that one would be unwilling to translate. All evil appetites and qualities, bodily organs and deformities, mischievous acts and vices, were turned into names."
In nineteenth century marriage documents, we can find several Hawaiians named, for example, Kamai ("the illness; the genitals"), Kaaihue ("the thief"), Kapela ("the filth") and Waiwaiole ("worthless"). However, the majority of names have quite pleasant meanings, or are simply descriptive. The most common names, used by both genders, were Kalua ("the second child, companion"), Keawe ("the strand", symbolic of lineage), Kamaka ("the eye", symbolic of beloved one), Keaka ("the shadow, essence"), Kealoha ("the love"), Ōpūnui ("big belly", sign of high social class), and Māhoe ("twin"). The most striking feature of nineteenth century names is their diversity. A unique name was the rule, not the exception. The ten most common names cover only four percent of the population.
Changes brought by western influence
Surnames did not exist in ancient Hawaii. Early converts might adopt a Christian name and use their Hawaiian name like a surname. In 1860 Kamehameha IVKamehameha IV
Kamehameha IV, born Alexander Iolani Liholiho Keawenui , reigned as the fourth king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 11, 1855 to November 30, 1863.-Early life:...
signed the Act to Regulate Names. Hawaiians were to take their father's given name as a surname, and all children born henceforth were to receive a Christian, i.e. English, given name. Hawaiian names were transferred into middle names. The law was not repealed until 1967.
After the annexation of Hawaii to the U.S., knowledge of the Hawaiian language deteriorated. Grandparents could give traditional names to the next two generations, but a baby born into a Hawaiian family in the 2000s might not have any native speaker relatives. Names are borrowed from well-known persons, royalty, mythology, and songs. However, names are sometimes borrowed from direct ancestors and other family members. Mary Kawena Pukui
Mary Kawena Pukui
Mary Abigail Kawenaulaokalaniahiiakaikapoliopelekawahineaihonuaināleilehuaapele Wiggin Pukui , known as Kawena, was a Hawaiian scholar, dancer, composer, and educator.-Life:...
, a traditional Hawaiian, expressed her unease with this practice:
- "My name isn't supposed to be given away. My name is for me. But people are always naming babies after me, so I have many namesakes. I don't want any of them hurt if there's any kapu that goes with my name. So I pray, 'Since so-and-so named this child for me, then please do me the favor to oki the kapu and bless the name."
Phonetic renderings of western names, such as Kimo (Jim) and Lāhela (Rachel), have become names in their own right. The film industry produces pseudo-Hawaiian names, from Aloma of the South Seas (1926) to Lilo & Stitch
Lilo & Stitch
This article is about the movie. For the television series, see Lilo & Stitch: The Series.Lilo & Stitch is a 2002 American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released on June 21, 2002...
(2002). For many Hawaiian words, the okina
Okina
The okina, also called by several other names , is a unicameral consonant letter used within the Latin script to mark the phonetic glottal stop, as it is used in many Polynesian languages.- Geographic names in the United States :...
(glottal stop) and kahakō
Macron
A macron, from the Greek , meaning "long", is a diacritic placed above a vowel . It was originally used to mark a long or heavy syllable in Greco-Roman metrics, but now marks a long vowel...
(macron to denote a long vowel) are important to the meaning of a word. They are often ignored in English texts, or okina are added where they do not belong. Hawaiian vowels should be pronounced clearly even when they are not stressed. The name of Malia Obama, when it is m, is actually an English name of Hawaiian origin.
Popularity surveys
This information is based on a survey of Hawaiian given names of persons born in 1900–1989 and 2000–2005, from obituaries in Honolulu AdvertiserHonolulu Advertiser
The Honolulu Advertiser was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in the American state of Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Internet editions...
and Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin was a daily newspaper based in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the second largest daily newspaper in the state of Hawaii...
1994–2004, and samples of births and marriages on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
in Honolulu Star-Bulletin 2000–2005. It's a small sample with an uneven age distribution, and centered on Oahu. But no one else seems to have researched the subject at all.
The 3,750 persons in the survey had a total of 1,996 different names. 418 of these names had eight or more syllables (up to 44). The proportion of long names was diminishing but it took an upward turn in 2000–2005. Hawaiian names occur as middle names until the 1960s. Even today, middle names outnumber first names by four to one. A minority of parents have started giving nothing but Hawaiian names to their children. In births registered on Oahu 2001–2002, about 25% of girls and 15% of boys received at least one Hawaiian name.
Names with negative meaning have disappeared in this sample, and the unisex quality is waning. Many favorite names a hundred years ago, like Kealoha, Kalei, Leialoha, and Keonaona, were popular with both sexes. Today, the trendiest names are different for girls and boys. Modern parents seemed to think that the ending -lani belongs to women: 31% of women but only 11% of men had names ending in -lani (heaven), -o-ka-lani (of Heaven), -o-nā-lani (of the heavens) or -mai-ka-lani (from Heaven), a recent innovation. Names beginning with the definite article
Definite Article
Definite Article is the title of British comedian Eddie Izzard's 1996 performance released on VHS. It was recorded on different nights at the Shaftesbury Theatre...
Ka-/Ke- seem to have a masculine image: 46% of men but only 33% of women had such names.
Five percent of the women in this survey were named Leilani
Leilani
Leilani is a Hawaiian name that means heavenly lei.Leilani may refer to:-People:*Leilani Dowding, English model*Leilani Munter, NASCAR driver*Leilani Jones , stage actress*Leilani Kai, actress*Leilani Mitchell, Basketball player...
("heavenly lei"). Other popular women's names included:
- 1900–1939: Kuulei ("my lei"), Leināala ("the fragrances are wafted"), Leialoha ("lei of love"), Leinani ("beautiful lei"), Leimomi ("pearl necklace")
- 1940–1969: Puanani ("beautiful flower"), Leialoha, Haunani ("beautiful snow"), Iwalani ("royal FrigatebirdFrigatebirdThe frigatebirds are a family, Fregatidae, of seabirds. There are five species in the single genus Fregata. They are also sometimes called Man of War birds or Pirate birds. Since they are related to the pelicans, the term "frigate pelican" is also a name applied to them...
"), Uilani ("heavenly young beauty"), Ululani ("heavenly inspiration") - 1970–1989: Malia (Mary), Kēhaulani ("heavenly dew"), Kuuipo ("my sweetheart"), Maile ("the maileMaileAlyxia oliviformis, known as Maile in Hawaiian, is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, that is native to Hawaii. It grows as either a twining liana, scandent shrub, or small erect shrub, and is one of the few vines that are endemic to the islands. The scientific...
vine"), Noelani ("heavenly mist"), Puanani - 2000–2005: Malia, Noelani, Māhealani ("full moon night"), Kuuipo, Alana ("awakening" - although this is also an English name), Keikilani ("heavenly child")
Kalani ("the sky; the high chief") was a reasonably popular men's name in all age groups. Other popular names for men included:
- 1900–1939: Kealoha ("the love"), Kalei ("the lei"), Kamaka ("the eye/bud/beloved one")
- 1940–1969: Keala ("the fragrance", symbolic for high birth), Kāwika (David), Kanani ("the glory"), Kameāloha ("the beloved one")
- 1970–1989: Ikaika ("strong"), Kāwika, Alika (Alex), Keola ("the life")
- 2000–2005: Kai ("sea"), Kekoa ("the courage"), Kainoa ("the namesake"), Ikaika, Kaimana ("diamond; powerful sea"), Keoni (John), Makana ("gift"), Nāinoa ("the namesakes")
The Social Security Administration gives out annual lists of the top hundred names for boys and girls in the State of Hawaii, starting from the year 1960. They are based on first names while a Hawaiian name usually comes second. A few Hawaiian names make it into these lists every year. In 2008, they were Kaila ("style/the birthmark", although this is also an English variant of Kayla
Kayla
Kayla is one of the names of the Beta Israel community among their neighbours, after which the Kayla language is named. Yona Bogale claimed that the name stems from the Tigrinya word for artisans, and on the broader sense excommunicated people...
), Maile, Malia, Kalena ("the yellow"), Kiana (Diana), Alana and Kamalei ("lei child") for girls, and Kai, Kainoa, Keanu ("the coolness"), Kainalu ("billowy sea"), Nāinoa, Kaimana and Kanoa ("the commoner, free man") for boys.
External links
- Wiktionary:Appendix:Hawaiian given names: Most common names in the 20th and 19th century in aphabetical order, with data.
- Honolulu Star Bulletin: There's more to Hawaiian names than meets the eye