The giving of a personal name is a very important aspect of Hawaiian culture. People select or are given Hawaiian names through a variety of ways. One way is to be named after someone, possibly a relative, friend, or an admired person from Hawaiian history. Another method is to be given a name which suits the person’s personality. Sometimes a person will have a dream about a name to give to a child or loved one. In old Hawai‘i, it was common to name a child after an event that happened at or near the birth. A given name might also be changed later in life. Aside from using traditional Hawaiian names, sometimes people create their own by putting together a few words into a phrase.

Below is a list of popular, as well as some lesser-known, Hawaiian names. In ancient Hawai‘i, names were not necessarily male or female. The use of last names or family names is a Western tradition which began to be adopted in Hawai‘i in the late nineteenth century. Please be aware that many names have more meanings than the ones listed here.