Hawaii Island Names
Hawaii island names are more than labels on a map. In the Hawaiian language, nearly every island, town, beach and mountain has a name that tells a story: Honolulu is a “sheltered bay,” Haleakalā is the “house of the sun,” and Waikīkī means “spouting fresh water.” Below are 95+ names from across the islands with their meanings, from the eight main islands to remote atolls in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
These names also inspire baby, pet and boat names; just be sure to learn what they mean first (Wailuku, for example, means “water of destruction”). For personal names, browse Hawaiian names, Hawaiian girl names and Hawaiian boy names. Naming an island in a game instead? Try Animal Crossing island names.
The eight main Hawaiian islands
Hawai‘i’s eight main islands each have a Hawaiian name and a popular nickname. The origins of several names are uncertain, and legends often link them to ancestors or navigators.
| Island | Meaning or origin | Nickname |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | Possibly from Hawai‘iloa, a legendary navigator, or Hawaiki, the ancestral homeland | The Big Island |
| Maui | Named, in legend, for the demigod Maui | The Valley Isle |
| Oahu | Origin uncertain; in legend a child of Papa and Wākea | The Gathering Place |
| Kauai | Origin uncertain; possibly “place around the neck” (disputed) | The Garden Isle |
| Molokai | Origin uncertain | The Friendly Isle |
| Lanai | Often explained as “day of conquest” (disputed) | The Pineapple Isle |
| Niihau | Origin uncertain; privately owned since 1864 | The Forbidden Isle |
| Kahoolawe | The carrying away by currents | The Target Isle (former bombing range) |
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Papahānaumokuākea)
These remote atolls and pinnacles form Papahānaumokuākea, one of the largest marine protected areas on Earth and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many carry restored Hawaiian names.
| Name | Meaning | English name |
|---|---|---|
| Papahanaumokuakea | Papa (earth mother) who gave birth to islands, with Wākea (sky father) | The whole marine monument |
| Nihoa | Jagged, toothed | Nihoa |
| Mokumanamana | Island of spiritual power (commonly given) | Necker Island |
| Lalo | Low, below | French Frigate Shoals |
| Puhahonu | Turtle surfacing for air | Gardner Pinnacles |
| Nalukakala | Breaking, cresting surf | Maro Reef |
| Kauo | Egg (as in a bird’s egg) | Laysan Island |
| Kapou | Traditional name restored in 2010 | Lisianski Island |
| Manawai | Branching waters | Pearl and Hermes Atoll |
| Kuaihelani | Legendary floating land of the gods | Midway Atoll |
| Holaniku | Bringing forth heaven | Kure Atoll |
Small islands and islets
Tiny offshore islets make charming names for boats and pets. Several are seabird sanctuaries. For more nautical ideas, see boat names.
| Name | Meaning | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Molokini | Many ties (commonly given) | Crescent crater off Maui, famous for snorkeling |
| Lehua | ‘Ōhi‘a blossom | Islet north of Ni‘ihau |
| Kaula | Rope (commonly given) | Rocky islet southwest of Ni‘ihau |
| Mokolii | Little lizard | Islet off Kualoa, O‘ahu |
| Mokulua | Two islands | Twin islets off Lanikai |
| Manana | Buoyant (commonly given) | Rabbit Island, off Makapu‘u |
| Mokumanu | Bird island | Seabird islet off Mōkapu |
| Mokuauia | Traditional name | Goat Island, off Lā‘ie |
| Popoia | Rotten fish | Flat Island, off Kailua |
| Mokuoloe | Island of Lo‘e (disputed) | Coconut Island, Kāne‘ohe Bay |
Hawaiian town and city names with meanings
Nearly every Hawaiian place name describes something: the water, the wind, a legend or an event. Pukui, Elbert and Mookini’s Place Names of Hawaii is the standard reference.
| Name | Meaning | Island |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | Sheltered bay, calm harbor | O‘ahu |
| Hilo | First night of the new moon; also a legendary navigator | Hawai‘i |
| Kailua | Two seas, two currents | O‘ahu and Hawai‘i |
| Lahaina | Cruel sun | Maui |
| Kona | Leeward, dry side | Hawai‘i |
| Waikiki | Spouting fresh water | O‘ahu |
| Waimea | Reddish water | Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i |
| Hanalei | Crescent bay; lei-making bay | Kaua‘i |
| Kapaa | The solid or the closing | Kaua‘i |
| Lihue | Cold chill | Kaua‘i |
| Kihei | Cape, shoulder mantle | Maui |
| Wailea | Waters of Lea, goddess of canoe makers | Maui |
| Paia | Noisy | Maui |
| Makawao | Forest beginning | Maui |
| Wailuku | Water of destruction (after a legendary battle) | Maui |
| Kahului | The winning | Maui |
| Kapolei | Beloved Kapo (a goddess) | O‘ahu |
| Haleiwa | House of the frigatebird | O‘ahu |
| Kaneohe | Bamboo man | O‘ahu |
| Waimanalo | Potable water | O‘ahu |
| Kaunakakai | Beach landing | Moloka‘i |
| Kapalua | Two borders | Maui |
| Pukalani | Heavenly gate, hole in the sky | Maui |
| Kula | Plain, open country | Maui |
| Waianae | Mullet water | O‘ahu |
| Ewa | Crooked | O‘ahu |
| Laie | Ti leaf | O‘ahu |
| Koloa | Long sugarcane | Kaua‘i |
| Pahoa | Dagger | Hawai‘i |
| Waipahu | Bursting water | O‘ahu |
| Mililani | Beloved place of chiefs | O‘ahu |
| Kaanapali | Rolling cliff (commonly given) | Maui |
| Hauula | Red hau tree | O‘ahu |
| Kaaawa | The wrasse fish | O‘ahu |
| Kaimuki | The ti oven | O‘ahu |
| Makiki | Stone used as a weight on octopus lures | O‘ahu |
| Aiea | Named for the native ‘aiea tree | O‘ahu |
| Kaupo | Canoe landing at night | Maui |
Beach and bay names
Hawai‘i’s famous beaches have names as lovely as their water. See also ocean names and names that mean ocean.
| Name | Meaning | Island |
|---|---|---|
| Lanikai | Heavenly sea (a modern coinage) | O‘ahu |
| Hanauma | Curved bay (commonly given) | O‘ahu |
| Poipu | Crashing (as of waves) | Kaua‘i |
| Makena | Abundance | Maui |
| Kaena | The heat | O‘ahu |
| Hapuna | Spring, pool | Hawai‘i |
| Kealakekua | Pathway of the god | Hawai‘i |
| Punaluu | Spring dived for | Hawai‘i and O‘ahu |
| Makapuu | Bulging eye | O‘ahu |
| Pupukea | White shell | O‘ahu |
| Alamoana | Path to the sea | O‘ahu |
| Kahala | Amberjack fish | O‘ahu |
| Kualoa | Long back | O‘ahu |
| Napili | The joinings; pili grass | Maui |
| Hookipa | Hospitality | Maui |
Mountains, volcanoes and valleys
Hawai‘i’s peaks and valleys are sacred places in Hawaiian tradition. Their names make strong, majestic choices. More in our mountain names.
| Name | Meaning | Island |
|---|---|---|
| Mauna Kea | White mountain (often snow-capped) | Hawai‘i |
| Mauna Loa | Long mountain | Hawai‘i |
| Kilauea | Spewing, much spreading | Hawai‘i |
| Haleakala | House of the sun | Maui |
| Leahi | Brow of the tuna (Diamond Head) | O‘ahu |
| Waipio | Curved water | Hawai‘i |
| Iao | Cloud supreme; the morning star | Maui |
| Manoa | Vast, thick | O‘ahu |
| Nuuanu | Cool height | O‘ahu |
| Waialeale | Rippling or overflowing water | Kaua‘i |
| Napali | The cliffs | Kaua‘i |
| Koolau | Windward | O‘ahu |
| Pololu | Long spear | Hawai‘i |
| Kalalau | Straying, wandering (commonly given) | Kaua‘i |
Using Hawaiian place names well
- Look up the meaning before borrowing a place name for a baby or boat. Some beautiful-sounding names carry heavy meanings, such as Lahaina (“cruel sun”).
- Spell places properly with the ‘okina and kahakō when writing about them (O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, Haleakalā). It’s increasingly standard in Hawai‘i and shows respect.
- Many places share a name: there are Waimeas on three islands. Add the island when it matters.
- For a name-and-place pairing, match a place with a personal name that shares its image, like Mahina (moon) with Hilo, the first night of the new moon.
- Some places, like Mauna Kea and Kaho‘olawe, are deeply sacred. Avoid using their names for jokes or novelty products.
Frequently asked questions
What are the names of the 8 main Hawaiian islands?
Hawai‘i (the Big Island), Maui, O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Ni‘ihau and Kaho‘olawe.
What does Honolulu mean?
Honolulu means “sheltered bay” or “calm harbor,” describing the natural harbor that made it the kingdom’s and later the state’s capital.
Why is O‘ahu called the Gathering Place?
It’s a modern nickname reflecting that most of Hawai‘i’s people live there. The original meaning of the name O‘ahu is uncertain.
How many islands does Hawai‘i have?
The state includes 137 islands, islets and atolls stretching over 1,500 miles, but only seven of the eight main islands are inhabited; Kaho‘olawe is not.
What does Waikīkī mean?
Waikīkī means “spouting fresh water,” after the springs and streams that once fed the area’s wetlands.