100 Powerful Hawaiian Girl Names With Meanings​

The Hawaiian alphabet has only 13 letters, counting the ʻokina. I handpicked 100 Hawaiian girl names for this list with meanings also included:

List of 100 Powerful Hawaiian Girl Names:

Keaomelemele

“The golden cloud.” That is the meaning of Keaomelemele (pronounced as kay-ow-meh-leh-MEH-leh), the main character of a legend Moses Manu serialized in 1884 and 1885.

Ikaika

”Strength.”

Nuakea

Kea is the Hawaiian word for white. A Molokai chiefess, Nuakea, became the goddess nursing mothers prayed to for milk.

Kukuena

Kilauea’s uplands are of Kukuena (“the fire which fertilizes the earth”), a goddess in Pele’s family.

Kaiona

Kai (”sea”) and ona (”attractive”). On Oahu, Kaiona is the goddess of Mount Kaala.

Wahineomao

“Green woman”.

Hinahele

Hele is the verb for going, so Hinahele means “Hina who travels.”

Ahonui

”Patience” or ”tolerance.”

Hinauluohia

“Hina of the growing ohia” is the goddess of the ohia lehua forest.

Kahalaomapuana

In the Laieikawai legend Kahalaomapuana is the youngest of five sisters and the sharpest of them. Diminutives that I like are Hala and Puana.

Poomaikelani

Virginia Poomaikelani (“Chief Chosen from Heaven”), sister of Queen Kapiolani, was the governor of Hawaii Island.

Kalaniakua

Lani (heaven, chief) and akua (god), and Kalaniakua is symbolizing “the godly heavens”.

Kekaniau

Elizabeth Kekaniau (”breeze gently waving”) Pratt wrote a 1920 history of Keoua.

Nalani

”The skies” or “the heavens.”

Wahinepio

Wahine is a woman, and pio is the highest birth rank.

Hinapukuia

Hinapukuia is meaning “Hina gathering fish.” She mothered Aiai who set fishing shrines along the island shores.Save

Hoohokukalani

“To generate stars in the heavens.” Hoohokukalani, daughter of Wakea and Papa in Hawaiian myth, bore a stillborn son. From the spot the baby was buried, taro sprung.

Laahana

Laa (sacred) and hana (work) make Laahana, the goddess of tapa designs. Women printing patterns on bark cloth called on her and her sister.

Kalaimanuia

Kalaimanuia was the 12th Alii Aimoku of Oahu.

Luukia

Luʻukia was a legendary chiefess born in 1840 in Maui.

Piilaniwahine

“Woman who ascends to heaven.”

Kalaninuiahilapalapa

At 20 letters, Kalaninuiahilapalapa means “the great chief of blazing fire”. Save

Kaoanaeha

Kaoanaeha was married to John Young, the British sailor who advised Kamehameha I, and became grandmother of Queen Emma.

Laielohelohe

Laielohelohe (”drooping leaf of Lāʻie”) was the daughter of Kapalaoa and the King of Oahu.

Kilioe

“Seizing victory”.

Uakoko

Uakoko is symbolizing the presence or birth of a high chief.

Hauwahine

Hau (cool) and wahine (woman), Hauwahine was a moʻo and the guardian spirit. She ensured there was enough food available for the population.

Mahiole

”Feather helmet.”

Waiau

Lake Waiau (“swirling water”) is close to 3,970 m on Mauna Kea, a dormant shield volcano and the last eruption was about 4,600 years ago.

Noweo

Noweo: “bright red, glowing”.

Makanikai

Makani (wind) and kai (sea) give Makanikai the meaning of ”sea breeze.”

Hopoe

Hopoe (“one encircled”) was a hula dancer of Kea’au, Puna.

Laieikawai

“Leaf in the water.”Save

Hinalea

Hinalea is wrasse, a reef fish. In traditional remedies, healers used the variety, the hinalea akilolo.

Kuahiwi

”High mountain ridge.”

Kekauluohi

From 1839 to 1845 Kekauluohi (“the vault of heaven”) served as Kuhina Nui, the kingdom’s co-ruling premier. Her son Lunalilo was the first elected king.

Namahana

Namahana was the mother of Queen Kaahumanu.

Liliha

Liliha (”loathing”) governed Oahu after her husband Boki sailed off in 1829.

Kaikilani

Kaikilani was a High Chiefess who shared power with her husband Lonoikamakahiki.

Manono

In 1819 chiefess Manono was killed with her husband Kekuaokalani at the Battle of Kuamoo.

Peleuli

Peleuli (“dark Pele”) was one of the wives of Kamehameha I.

Olapa

The olapa tree trembles in the lightest wind. It means ”to flutter” or ”to flash.”

Malulani

Malu (shelter) and lani (heaven).

Wiwoole

Wiwo is timid and ole cancels it: “fearless”. I like this combination.

Hokuao

Venus as the morning star.

Hiehie

”Attractive” or ”dignified.”

Makaala

Maka (eye) and ala (awake) result into “watchful.”

Moanikeala

Moanikeala (“the fragrant breeze of the path”) Akaka, a trustee of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, was one of 32 activists arrested after occupying rooftops in Kalama Valley.

Poliahu

Poli (bosom) and ahu (cloak) give Poliahu, “cloaked bosom”.

Pilahi

Pilahi Paki wrote the definition of aloha that was turned into its Aloha Spirit Law in 1986.

Haulani

”Royal restorer.”

Namaka

Namaka is meaning “the eyes” and is short for Namakaokahai, Pele’s sea goddess sister.

Lilinoe

”Fine mist.” In most tellings Lilinoe cohabits Mauna Kea with her sister Poliahu.

Pauahi

“The fire is out.”

Kamamalu

“The shade” or “the protection”. In 1823 Queen Kamamalu sailed to London with Liholiho and died of measles there one year later.

Makoa

Makoa packs courage into three syllables: “bold, unafraid.”

Likelike

Princess Likelike, mother of Kaiulani, married Scottish businessman Archibald Scott Cleghorn in 1870.

Kalama

”The light” or ”the torch”. Queen Kalama married Kamehameha III and adopted Kaʻiminaʻauao, the daughter of Analea Keohokālole.

Hekili

”Thunder.”

Kona

Kona was a favored residence of King Kamehameha I and is famous for coffee and scuba diving. It was the site of some of the first contacts between natives and Europeans.

Mauna

At more than 33,500 feet, Mauna (”mountain”) Kea is taller than Everest from base to peak.

Lanikai

“Heavenly sea”.

Kupaa

“Steadfast, loyal.” Royalists in 1893 used it for individuals who refused to sign away the kingdom.

Manaolana

”Hope.”

Haaheo

”Pride” or ”being proud.”

Pono

”Righteousness and balance.” It closes the state motto, “Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono” that was first spoken by Kamehameha III in 1843. It is meaning “the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.”

Hanohano

”Noble” or ”glorious.”

Malama

”To preserve” or ”to protect.”

Honu

Honu is the reen sea turtle, a family guardian spirit for some lineages. In 1978, it became protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Hokulea

Hōkūleʻa (“star of gladness”) was built by the Polynesian Voyaging Society. It is a traditional 62-foot, double-hull voyaging canoe.

Kohola

Kohola is the humpback whale and is born in these waters, making them kama’aina or native born.

Holokai

Holo (to sail) and kai (sea), so Holokair is seafarer.

Mano

”Shark”. Kaahupahau is a shark goddess of Pearl Harbor who forbade sharks there to attack people.

Pohaku

”Stone.” Pohakuloa is the long stone and is the plateau between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.

Lokahi

”Unity and harmony.”

Nahienaena

Nahienaena is “the raging fires”. She was the daughter of Kamehameha I and Keopuolani and passed away in 1836 at agr 21.

Papahanaumoku

“Papa who gives birth to islands.” Papahānaumoku is the Earth Mother and the wife of Wākea, son of the god Kahiko.

Noeau

”Skill and cleverness.”

Leilani

“Royal child of heaven” or “heavenly garland of flowers”. It has two nicknames that I like: Lei and Lani. In 1938 there was a piece “Sweet Leilani” that won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Hokulani

“Heavenly star”.

Moana

In 1926 it was released the American silent documentary film Moana. It was the first production made with panchromatic black-and-white film. It means ”sea” or ”ocean” and is pronounced as ”mo.ana.”

Iolana

“To soar like a hawk.”

Mahina

”Moonlight.” I envision this one on a girl born under a full moon.

Noelani

Noe (mist) and lani in Noelani, “mist of heaven.”

Lokelani

Loke (rose) plus lani and we have the heavenly rose, which is Maui’s official flower since 1923.

Pualani

“Flower of heaven”.

Liliuokalani

Liliʻuokalani was the only queen regnant and wrote Aloha ʻOe in 1878. Elvis Presley recorded a version of the song on March 21, 1961, at Radio Recorders, Hollywood.

Kaulana

”Celebrated” or ”renowned.”

Lanakila

”Vctory.”

Iolani

”Royal hawk.” Iolani Palace had electric lights in the 1880s. I know this was years before the White House.

Mana

”Spiritual power.”

Hiiaka

It is short for Hiiakaikapoliopele, Pele’s sister with supernatural powers.

Aolani

“Heavenly cloud”.

Kehaulani

Kehaulani comes from hau (dew) and lani: dew of heaven.

Haumea

”Red ruler.” Haumea is the goddess of childbirth and fertility and she has given women the capacity to give birth naturally.

Nohealani

“Royal beauty”.

Kaahumanu

Kaahumanu (pronounced as kah-AH-hoo-MAH-noo) is “the feather cloak”. She negotiated the first treaty with the US in 1826.

Makani

”Wind.”

Haunani

Hau (dew) and nani (beauty). In 1993 Haunani-Kay Trask published “From a Native Daughter”.

Mahealani

Mahealani is the 16th night of the lunar month, the night of the full moon.