I just found this website after reading an article in Reader’s Digest, and I really do like it,
however, there is is such a lack of Hawaiian and other pacific islander names, which are so beautiful!!
I live in hawaii and have fallen in love with the beauty of the hawaiian language.
I am sure if people knew about these names they would spark a lot of interest.
does anyone know how we can get some on the site?
So many “K” and “L” names are popular in hawaii, and they are so lovely, with great meanings too.
names like [name]Leilani[/name] (F), meaning “flower of heaven,” [name]Lani[/name] (f) meaning “[name]Heaven[/name],” Kekoa (M) meaning “courage” i think, Makana (F) meaning “gift.” Kawika (M) pronounced ka-vee-ka, which is the hawaiian form of david i think, like “tavita” in samoan.
so many pretty pacific islander names, i hope they come up on the site soon!
Oooh I second this!!! I named my daughter a Hawaiian name and would love to name my next girl an unusual Hawaiian name as well, but can’t find any accurate information.
I love all of the few Hawaiian names I have seen, and think they are definitely underestimated. I was disappionted to find that there was no option for Hawaiian names in the “Search For A Name” box…maybe it should be added?
mariaj09, I think the poster’s problem was also with the lack of RELIABLE hawaiian name meanings/origins.
Of the 3 links you posted, I could tell within 30 seconds that:
#1 was NOT trustworthy since they included names on their list that used letters not even IN the hawaiian alphabet (like “d” and “g”) so I don’t trust any of their names; #2 was something akin to a bad tourist site which took your name and mutated it into a “hawaiian” name with no basis; and #3 simply lists the most popular names in [name]Hawaii[/name], not hawaiian names.
The best site I have found is the following from the [name]Hawaii[/name] State Library:
What’s nice about this site is that includes references if you want to dig further. Giving a name in [name]Hawaii[/name] is very important business, and you should know some of the history of the name you give your child. Some names are considered off-limits due to connections with royalty, and other names may sound beautiful but have ridiculous associations and meanings.
I just say this in case your child moves or visits [name]Hawaii[/name] in the future – naming a boy Lono or a girl [name]Pele[/name] may not be well received by local culture. Likewise, naming a child Lanikai would just be ridiculous since it’s the name of a popular tourist site that is not even proper hawaiian anyway.