Me and my wife recently had a baby girl, now we are contemplating on the name. We came to [name_f]Kaena[/name_f]. its a Hawaiian name, means, “praised”, and also is a surfer’s point/POI on the island of Oahu. Now we are Indians, hailing from Delhi and Kolkata respectively. My justification for this name resides in its meaning, but while reading more about it, I came to know that [name_f]Kaena[/name_f] point in Hawai, is a place where souls depart to their afterlife or heaven. I wont put a name which has an unpleasant meaning or significance to it. Im not really a religious person, but if the name has a good etymology then why not.
So I ask this, does this name anyway sounds like a bad name or an eerie or an unpleasant name from any angle? Any one from [name_m]Hawaii[/name_m], who can shine some light on this? I’d love to hear it from everyone
I think [name_f]Kaena[/name_f] is a beautiful name. I’ve never heard it before, but it seems straightforward enough and very lovely. I can’t think of any negative angle, but I hope you get some more feedback. All the best!
I’m not from [name_m]Hawaii[/name_m], but I think [name_f]Kaena[/name_f] is lovely. If I didn’t know it was Hawaiian I wouldn’t have guessed it–I think it looks and sounds quite ethnically ambiguous. [name_m]Just[/name_m] wanted to put my two cents in to say go for it :).
This is such a difficult question! As the world is becoming smaller, naming cross-culturally is becoming more common. I’ve met a Jamaican-American child name [name_m]Giovanni[/name_m], a daughter of Chinese immigrants named [name_f]Fiona[/name_f], and an Italian-American family with a son called [name_m]Cian[/name_m]. For the most part, I think it’s okay for names to be exchanged between cultures. But sometimes, as might be the case here, using a name from another culture can come across as ignorant or worse. What makes it more confusing is that you can’t get the approval of one person who belongs to the cultural group and call it quits- what one Hawaiian finds totally benign may be the appropriation of a deeply held cultural belief to another.
If I were in your shoes, I’d do one of two things. Either:
Completely devote myself to researching the etymology of the name [name_f]Kaena[/name_f], [name_f]Kaena[/name_f] Point’s significance to native Hawaiians, and any related concepts using reputable sources (preferably with peer review) before making a decision OR
Give up on [name_f]Kaena[/name_f] and find a new name.
That way, I’d ensure that I wouldn’t be unwittingly offending anyone with my choice or flaunting my ignorance with it while simultaneously picking a name I like.
