You’ll hear a lot of Hawaiian names when you visit the Islands

July 29th, 2009

Throughout Hawaii you will encounter the lovely, lilting sounds of pure Hawaiian names.  Don’t be surprised to meet a beautiful, blond, Scandinavian-looking woman whose name is “Leilani,” or an African-American man named “Kalani.”   Many, many of us who live here, regardless of our heritages, like the sound of Hawaiian names and apply them to our own offspring.

There actually are two kinds of Hawaiian names.  Traditional, or “authentic” names such as Ku`oko`a (koo-oh’-koh-ah), meaning “independent,” were originally coined for a child with care and perceived aptness.  (There were no surnames in the early days.)  When people from other lands began arriving and settling in the islands, their given names were translated into Hawaii adaptations. “Kimo” is the Hawaiian version of Jim; “Malia” is Maria or Mary.  These are Hawaiian phonetic interpretations of foreign (to Hawaiians) names.

You certainly will be introduced to a local person with a seemingly unpronounceable name such as Hanauhoulani (ha-now’-ho-oo-la’-nee).  Just deal with it as well as you can.  Its bearer will understand; is used to the stumbling just as he or she is with residents who were born here.   Usually (but not always), such names are shortened for convenience; in this case to “Hana” or “Lani” depending on the sex of the bearer.  (Most Leilanis – the most common given name for girls in Hawaii — are called either “Lei” or “Lani.”) What you never encounter in Hawaii is a case such as one that reaches us from New Zealand. Parents actually named their daughter “Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii.”

The little girl, who now is nine years old, hates the name and refuses to use it or tell anyone — even close friends — it exists.  Then her parents split and a custody battle waged.  A judge ordered her to be made a ward of the court until her name was changed.  Her new name is being kept secret in order to protect the girl’s privacy.

We take naming a little more seriously here.

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