Connie Ellefson - A Genealogists Guide to Hawaiian Names: A Reference for First Names from Hawaii

A Genealogists Guide to Hawaiian NamesA REFERENCE FOR FIRST NAMES FROM HAWAIIby Connie Ellefson
Cincinnati, Ohio shopfamilytree.com The original Hawaiians were Polynesian voyagers who traveled to Hawaii about 1,500 years ago from the Marquesas Islands nearly 2,000 miles to the south. They were later joined by immigrants from Tahiti. By 1778, when Captain Cook arrived in Hawaii from Europe, the native population numbered approximately 300,000. In the next seventy-five years, their numbers were sadly depleted, largely due to their contact with European diseases, from which they had no immunity. The first official census in 1853 counted only 71,000 native Hawaiians, less than one-fourth their population in 1778. Beginning in the last decade of the nineteenth century, such large numbers of foreigners, especially Japanese and Korean, were hired to work in the sugarcane fields that native Hawaiians gradually became a smaller and smaller proportion of the total population of Hawaii.

By 1900, they represented only 25 percent. Other notable immigration movements to Hawaii included six shiploads of Spaniards from Andalusia in southern Spain who were recruited to work in the Hawaiian sugarcane fields between 1907 and 1913. A much larger contingent of Portuguese from Madeira (see Portuguese chapter) immigrated for the same reason between 1878 and 1898. A total of 13,000 Portuguese immigrated in this period, and by 1930, the nearly 28,000 of their descendants made up 7.5 percent of the total population. The Japanese were by far the largest immigrant group, however. Between 1861 and 1940, over 300,000 Japanese immigrated to Hawaii, with the peak time period being 1901 to 1907, when 108,000 Japanese immigrants entered the island.

In 1900, Japanese people represented 40 percent of the population of Hawaii. However, with the influx of Caucasians (called hao-les in Hawaiian), their percentage declined to twenty-eight by 1970. In line with their easygoing attitude toward life, Hawaiians have intermarried with immigrants much more freely than has occurred in other areas. The resulting cosmopolitan population includes not only the groups mentioned above but Europeans, Chinese, Filipinos and Puerto Ricans. In 1959, when Hawaii became part of the U.S., over 600,000 citizens of this beautiful, benign region became a part of the melting pot.

The Hawaiian language consists only of five vowels and seven consonants.

It is usually written with vowels and consonants alternating; however, multiple vowels occur, in which case each is pronounced as a separate syllable. Aulii, for example, is pronounced ah-oo-LEE-ee. Many names can be used interchangeably for boys and girls. Some names are created by the parents by combining elements such as Lani (sky or heavenly), Lei (wreath or child), Kapu (sacred) or Nani (beautiful).

a = ah as in ball e = eh as in late i = ee as in keep o = oh as in hope u = oo as in moon w = w as in water, when following o or u w = v as in very, when following e or i w = w or v, when following a or at beginning of word (follows native preference) h, k, l, m, n = as in English Alamea ripe, precious Alana an offering Alani orange tree Alaula light of early dawn Aleka (uh-LEH-kuh) (Alice) (OGer) noble, kind Alika (Gr) truthful Aloha greetings, friendship, farewells Alohi shining, brilliant Alohilani bright sky Amaui a thrush Ana (Anne)(H) graceful; Ane, Aneka (Annette) Anabela graceful, beautiful Anakela (Angela) (Fr) angel Anuhea cool and soft fragrance Aolani heavenly cloud Aukai (AH-oo-KAH-ee) seafarer Aulani royal messenger Aulii (ah-oo-LEE-ee) dainty Derya ocean Ekika (Edith) (Teut) rich gift Elenola (Eleanor) (Gr) light Elikapeka (eh-lee-kuh-PEH-kuh) (Elizabeth) (H) consecrated to God; Peke Emalia (Emily) (Teut) industrious; Emele Eme (EH-meh) (Amy) (Fr) beloved Ewalina (ee-vuh-LEE-nuh) (Evelyn) (H) life Haimi the seeker Hauoli (hah-oo-OH-lee) happy Haunani (hah-oo-NAH-nee) beautiful dew Healoha (heh-uh-LOH-huh) a loved one Helena (Helen) (Gr) light Hiwahiwa (hee-vuh-HEE-vuh) precious Hoku star Hokulani star in the sky or heaven Ihilani (ee-hee-LAH-nee) heavenly splendor Ilima (ee-LEE-muh) name of a yellow flower Inoa name, name chant Ioana (ee-oh-AH-nuh) (Joan, Joanne) (H) Gods gracious gift Ioi (ee-OH-ee) (Joy) (OFr) jewel, delight Ipo sweetheart Iulia (ee-oo-LEE-uh) (L) youthful Iwalani (ee-vuh-LAH-nee) heavenly sea-bird Iwone (ee-VOH-neh) (Yvonne) (Ofr) archer Kaohe (kuh-OH-heh) the bamboo Kaohu (kuh-OH-hoo) mist Kahoku (kuh-HOH-KOO) the star Kaimi (kah-EE-mee) (Polynesian) the seeker Kai (KAH-ee) sea or sea water Kaili (kah-EE-lee) a Hawaiian deity Kainoa (kuh-ee-NOH-uh) the name Kaipo (KAH-ee-poh) the sweetheart Kakalina (Gr) pure Kala (Sarah) (H) princess Kalama (Polynesian) the flaming torch Kalea (kuh-LEH-uh) (Claire) (L) bright, clear Kaleki (kuh-LEH-kee) (Grace) (L) graceful Kalena (KAH-leh-nuh) (Karen) (Gr) pure Kalola (KAH-loh-luh) (Carol) (Fr) song of joy Kama (Gr) nursling Kamika from English Smith Kanani (Polynesian) the beauty Kani (KAH-nee) (Connie) (L) constant Kanoa (Polynesian) the free one Kapono the righteous Kapua (Polynesian) the blossom Kapule (Polynesian) a prayer Kaui (KAH-oo-ee) the beauty Kaula (Polynesian) prophet Kaulana (kah-oo-LAH-nah) fame Kawailani (kuh-WAH-ee-LAH-nee) the heavenly water Kawena (kuh-VEH-nuh) the glow Keala (keh-AH-luh) the fragrance Keahi (keh-AH-hee) the fire Keakalina (keh-ah-kuh-LEE-nuh) (Jacqueline) (H) Gods gracious gift Kealoha the loved one Kehaulani (KEH-HAH-oo-LAH-nee) heavenly dew Kekai (keh-KAH-ee) sea Kekipi the rebel Kekona second-born child Kekupaa (keh-koo-PAH-ah) the steadfast one Kelekolio perhaps seahorse; Kele Kepola (Deborah) (H) a bee Kiele (kee-EHL-ee) gardenia, fragrant blossom Kikilia (Cecilia) (L) blind, gray eyes Kiliwia (kee-lee-VEE-uh) (Sylvia) (L) forest Kini (H) God is gracious Kolika (Doris) (Gr) from the ocean Kololeke (koh-loh-LEH-keh) (Dolores) (L) sorrows