Hawaiian Place Names: Pronunciation & Meanings
A Note from the Author: This article was written by someone who is actively learning ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and is not yet fluent. While I've done my best to provide accurate information, please use this as a launching pad for your own learning journey. For more nuanced and in-depth understanding, I encourage you to seek out books, courses, and resources authored by Native Hawaiian speakers and fluent Hawaiian language educators. Mahalo for your understanding!
Hawaiian place names are more than just labels on a map - they're stories, histories, and descriptions of the land itself. Each name carries meaning, often describing the geography, legends, or characteristics of that place. Learning to pronounce these names correctly and understanding their meanings deepens your connection to Hawaiʻi and shows respect for Hawaiian culture.
The Main Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiʻi (The Big Island)
Pronunciation: hah-WAH-ee (with glottal stop between the two i's)
Meaning: The name's origin is debated, but it may come from Hawaiʻiloa, the legendary Polynesian navigator who is said to have discovered the islands. Another theory connects it to Hawaiki, the ancestral homeland in Polynesian mythology.
Maui
Pronunciation: MAU-ee
Meaning: Named after the demigod Māui, who in Hawaiian legend pulled the islands up from the sea with his magical fishhook and slowed the sun to give his mother more daylight hours.
Oʻahu
Pronunciation: oh-AH-hoo
Meaning: "The gathering place." Oʻahu has long been the center of Hawaiian population and culture, making this name particularly fitting.
Kauaʻi
Pronunciation: kau-AH-ee
Meaning: Possibly meaning "place around the neck," like a lei, or named after a son of Hawaiʻiloa. Known as the "Garden Isle" for its lush beauty.
Molokaʻi
Pronunciation: moh-loh-KAH-ee
Meaning: The origin is uncertain, but it may be named after the son of the god Hina, or relate to traditional religious practices that were strong on this island.
Lānaʻi
Pronunciation: lah-NAH-ee
Meaning: "Day of conquest" or possibly "hump" or "swelling," referring to the island's shape.
Niʻihau
Pronunciation: nee-ee-HAU
Meaning: The meaning is uncertain, though some suggest it relates to being "cast away" or "set apart," fitting for this privately owned island.
Kahoʻolawe
Pronunciation: kah-hoh-oh-LAH-weh
Meaning: "The carrying away," possibly referring to currents around the island or soil erosion.
Honolulu & Oʻahu Locations
Honolulu
Pronunciation: hoh-noh-LOO-loo
Meaning: "Sheltered harbor" or "protected bay." The name perfectly describes this natural harbor that made it an ideal location for the capital.
Waikīkī
Pronunciation: why-kee-KEE
Meaning: "Spouting water," referring to the springs and streams that once flowed through this area.
Diamond Head (Lēʻahi)
Pronunciation: leh-AH-hee
Meaning: "Brow of the tuna," describing the crater's profile which resembles the slope of a tuna's head. The English name came from 19th-century sailors who mistook calcite crystals for diamonds.
Mānoa
Pronunciation: MAH-noh-ah
Meaning: "Vast" or "depth," referring to the deep valley.
Kāneʻohe
Pronunciation: KAH-neh-OH-heh
Meaning: "Bamboo husband" or "bamboo man," from a legend about a woman who compared her husband unfavorably to bamboo.
Hanauma Bay
Pronunciation: hah-NAU-mah
Meaning: "Curved bay," describing its distinctive horseshoe shape.
Kailua
Pronunciation: kah-ee-LOO-ah
Meaning: "Two seas" or "two currents," referring to the two lagoons in the area.
Maui Locations
Haleakalā
Pronunciation: hah-leh-ah-kah-LAH
Meaning: "House of the sun." According to legend, this is where the demigod Māui lassoed the sun to slow its journey across the sky.
Lahaina
Pronunciation: lah-HAI-nah
Meaning: "Cruel sun" or "merciless sun," referring to the area's hot, dry climate.
Kīhei
Pronunciation: KEE-hay
Meaning: "Cape" or "cloak," possibly referring to the shape of the land.
Hāna
Pronunciation: HAH-nah
Meaning: "Work" or "craft," though it may also refer to a bay or cove.
Kaʻanapali
Pronunciation: kah-ah-nah-PAH-lee
Meaning: "Rolling cliffs" or "divided cliffs," describing the dramatic coastline.
Big Island (Hawaiʻi) Locations
Kailua-Kona
Pronunciation: kah-ee-LOO-ah KOH-nah
Meaning: Kailua means "two seas," and Kona means "leeward" or "dry side of the island."
Hilo
Pronunciation: HEE-loh
Meaning: "To twist" or "first night after the new moon," possibly referring to the twisted nature of the bay or traditional lunar calendar.
Kīlauea
Pronunciation: kee-lau-EH-ah
Meaning: "Spewing" or "much spreading," perfectly describing this active volcano.
Mauna Kea
Pronunciation: MAU-nah KEH-ah
Meaning: "White mountain," named for the snow that caps its peak in winter.
Mauna Loa
Pronunciation: MAU-nah LOH-ah
Meaning: "Long mountain," referring to its massive, elongated shape.
Waimea
Pronunciation: why-MEH-ah
Meaning: "Reddish water," likely referring to the red soil that colors the water during rains.
Kauaʻi Locations
Līhuʻe
Pronunciation: LEE-hoo-eh
Meaning: "Cold chill," possibly referring to the cool trade winds.
Poʻipū
Pronunciation: poh-ee-POO
Meaning: "Crashing" or "completely overcast," referring to waves crashing on the shore.
Hanalei
Pronunciation: hah-nah-LAY
Meaning: "Crescent bay" or "lei making," describing the beautiful curved bay.
Nā Pali
Pronunciation: nah PAH-lee
Meaning: "The cliffs," describing the dramatic coastal cliffs on Kauaʻi's north shore.
Wailua
Pronunciation: why-LOO-ah
Meaning: "Two waters," referring to the river and ocean meeting.
Common Elements in Hawaiian Place Names
Understanding these common words helps you decode many Hawaiian place names:
- Wai = water, often indicating a stream or spring
- Kai = ocean, sea
- Mauna = mountain
- Pali = cliff
- Hale = house
- Lani = heaven, sky, royal
- Nui = big, great
- Liʻi = small
- Lua = two, pit, crater
- Pua = flower
- Uka = inland, upland
- Loa = long, tall, far
Pronunciation Tips
1. Every letter is pronounced. There are no silent letters in Hawaiian. "Haleakalā" is ha-le-a-ka-lā, not "hale-kala."
2. Respect the ʻokina. The glottal stop (ʻ) creates a brief pause. "Hawaiʻi" is not "Hawaii" - there's a pause between the two i's.
3. Hold the kahakō. Vowels with macrons (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) are held longer. "Waikīkī" has long i sounds.
4. Vowels are consistent. Hawaiian vowels always sound the same: a=ah, e=eh, i=ee, o=oh, u=oo.
5. W can vary. After i and e, w often sounds like v. After a, o, and u, it sounds like w.
Why Pronunciation Matters
Pronouncing Hawaiian place names correctly is a sign of respect for Hawaiian culture and the people who have lived on these lands for centuries. These names aren't arbitrary - they're descriptions, histories, and connections to the land.
When you mispronounce a place name, you're not just making a linguistic error - you're disconnecting the name from its meaning and the story it tells about that place.
Practice and Listen
The best way to learn proper pronunciation is to listen to Native Hawaiian speakers. Watch Hawaiian news broadcasts, listen to Hawaiian language radio, or use online resources with audio pronunciations.
Don't be afraid to ask for help or correction. Most people appreciate when you make the effort to pronounce names correctly, even if you don't get it perfect right away.
Honoring the Land Through Language
Every time you correctly pronounce a Hawaiian place name, you're honoring the land, the language, and the culture. You're acknowledging that these places had names and meanings long before English speakers arrived, and that those names deserve to be preserved and respected.
As you travel through Hawaiʻi or talk about these beautiful places, take the time to learn and use the correct pronunciations. It's a small act that carries great meaning.
E mālama i ka ʻāina. (Care for the land.)
This is part 6 of our Hawaiian Language Series.
Read Part 1: Supporting the Hawaiian Language Revival
Read Part 2: Mastering the ʻOkina and Kahakō
Read Part 3: Hawaiian Grammar Basics