Hawaiian Names That Start With M (Girls, Boys, Last Names)

Hawaiian has thirteen letters, and M is one of its eight consonants. In 1860, Kamehameha IV signed an Act to Regulate Names. I have selected a list of Hawaiian names that start with M, each with its meaning.

Hawaiian Girl Names That Start With M:

Mahealani

“Heavenly haze.” In the moon calendar of the islands, it is sixteenth night, when the moon is full.

Makana

Gift or reward. Makana is a peak above Hāʻena on Kauaʻi, and is one of the two locations where ʻōahi was performed. The oahi (fire-throwing) ceremony was maintained by a small circle of keepers who protected its sanctity.

Melia

plumeria/frangipani

Moana

“Ocean” in Māori, Tahitian, Samoan and Hawaiian.

Malia

Island form of Maria, which comes from Hebrew Miryam. Malia Obama (1998-) is the eldest daughter of Barack Obama made her television debut in an episode of Access Hollywood.

Melelani

It combines mele (means ”song”) and lani, sky or heaven.

Maleka

Its Aramaic source means lady, and in Gospels Martha is sister of Lazarus.

Makanani

Beautiful eyes, from maka and nani.

Malie

Malie (MAH-lee-eh) – Means calm or peaceful

Makaleka

Margaret in its Hawaiian form, from Greek margarites, pearl. Matthew 13:45: ”Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls;”

Milimili

”toy”/”favorite”/”beloved”/”darling” Save

Melemele

Melemele is meaning yellow, color of ʻilima blossoms that Oʻahu chose as its flower.

Mahina

Mahina is pronounced mah-HEE-nah and is meaning moon.

Makalapua

“Handsome” or “blossoming”s.

• Mokihana – anise-scented berry; Kauaʻi’s island lei
• Maemae – clean; pretty, said of a woman
• Melika – a variation of Melissa
• Mehana – warmth
• Momi – pearl
• Mapuana – breeze-borne fragrance
• Meli – “honey”
• Maluhia – peace, stillness
• Manaolana – hope
• Mauliola – breath of life; a Hawaiian god of health
• Mahiehie – charming, delightful
• Moana – ocean; deep sea
• Mamane – yellow-flowered upland tree
• Mailani – from heaven
• Malamalama – light, clarity
• Maile – fragrant forest vine; used for lei
• Mohala – unfolding petals; blossoming
• Malulani – heavenly shelter
• Makamae – precious
• Moani – fragrance wafting on a breeze
• Malanai – light breeze, mild wind

Boy Names:

Makaio

A form of Matthew, which has roots in Hebrew Mattityahu, gift of Yahweh.

Maui

Trickster demigod in Polynesian mythology.. He’s the one who fished the islands out of the sea with his brothers. Māui is also said to have caused birds to become visible.

Makai

Makai (mah-KAI) – Toward the sea, the word locals use when they explain how to get somewhere.

Mikala

Michael, from a Hebrew question: who is like God?

Mamo

“Descendant,” and a black honeycreeper (now extinct) with yellow tufts. Save

Moku

Island, district, ship, cut.

Moi

“King,” and moi without the ʻokina is a threadfin fish once only for chiefs.

Maka

eye/face.bud/favorite

Maleko

Mark, from Latin Marcus, in its Hawaiian variant. Mark’s Gospel is the only Gospel to use the word “gospel” in the opening verse.

Mauli

“life/heart.”

• Makoa – fearless, bold
• Moke – a variant of Moses
• Mauka – inland; toward the mountains
• Malolo – Hawaiian for “flying fish”
• Mana – spiritual power
• Makalii – Pleiades; small eyes
• Mauna – mountain
• Miki – quick, nimble
• Maikai – good, fine
• Makani – wind
• Malaki – Hawaiian form of Malachi; March
• Malama – to care for; light, month
• Malino – calm, of the sea
• Manu – bird; carved end of a canoe
• Makaala – watchful, alert

Last Names:

Mahiai

It is made of mahi (which means ”to cultivate”) and ʻai, food (”farmer”).

Mookini

Many lineages, or many moʻo, lizard spirits. Mo’okini Heiau is located in Kohala Historical Sites State Monument and is one of the oldest historical sites in Hawaiʻi. In late December 1962 Heiau was declared a National Historic Landmark.

Maunakea

White mountain. Measured from its base on the sea floor, Mauna Kea has over ten thousand meters. It is taller than Everest.

• Mahoe – “twin”
• Mahelona – Hawaiian form of Mahlon, a son of Naomi in the Book of Ruth
• Makuakane – father
• Makua – parent; adult

Random ones

• Maeole – unfading; one that does not wither
• Mealii – little thing
• Malio – twilight; a sorceress in Hawaiian myth
• Makalani – lucky
• Mahea – “one who is called”
• Makala – myrtle
• Mea – red; person, thing
• Mailelaulii – small-leaved maile vine
• Manawalea – charity
• Makalea – joyful eyes
• Manaoio – Hawaiian for “faith”
• Makanui – big eyes
• Manawa – feelings
• Malana – light, buoyant
• Maelea – faded happiness

Places

• Mokuola – island of life; Coconut Island in Hilo Bay
• Maunaloa – long mountain
• Mokuleia – isle of abundance
• Makaha – fierce; area on Oʻahu’s West Side
• Maunalua – two mountains; area now called Hawaiʻi Kai
• Molokini – many ties; crater islet off Maui
• Manoa – vast; valley in Honolulu
• Manana – buoyant; Rabbit Island off Waimānalo
• Maili – pebbles; beach town on Oʻahu’s Waiʻanae Coast
• Moiliili – pebble lizard
• Mililani – beloved, praised; town in central Oʻahu
• Makiki – stone weights for octopus lures
• Makapuu – bulging eye; eastern point of Oʻahu
• Mokulua – two islands
• Maunalei – mountain lei; valley on Lānaʻi
• Maalaea – red earth

Chiefs And History

• Moikeha – voyaging chief; ruler of Kauaʻi from Kapaʻa
• Maweke – chiefly ancestor; grandfather of Moʻikeha
• Mailikukahi – high chief of Oʻahu who divided its land into ahupuaʻa
• Malo – loincloth; surname of historian David Malo (1795-1853)
• Manono – chiefess slain at Kuamoʻo in 1819
• Momoa – to care for, protect; surname of actor Jason Momoa
• Maelo – high chiefess of Kona

English Forms:

• Makelina – Madeline
• Mileka – form of Miles
• Miuliela – a variation of Muriel
• Makikonu – Madison, Hawaiian style
• Meipala – Mabel, high spirits/festivity
• Malakina – from English Martin
• Melewina – Melvin, friend who offers counsel
• Milikeleka – Mildred, mild power
• Monoke – from English Monte
• Mauke – Maude, strong in war
• Makina – Maxine, the most or greatest
• Malona – Marlon
• Meinala – Maynard
• Milena – Myrna, endearment
• Mewike – Hawaiian form of Mavis
• Malawina – from English Marvin
• Milikona – Milton, “settlement with a mill”
• Mailona – Myron, “myrrh” and “perfume”
• Melokia – Melody
• Milana – Milan, gracious and dear
• Melani – from English Melanie
• Mine – Minnie, diminutive of Wilhelmina
• Malekala – Marshall
• Milikena – Millicent, industrious strength
• Manuela – Manuel, God is with us
• Maulike – Maurice, Moorish
• Melinaka – Melinda, sweetnes and honey