These names are used on the various Polynesian islands of the Pacific.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
MeilanifHawaiian (Modern, Rare) Possibly synthetic Hawaiian name influenced by Melanie and/or Leilani using the Hawaiian element lani "heavenly." Used very rarely in the US, mainly California and Hawaii, since the 1980s or earlier... [more]
Meremerem & fMaori This name means "Venus as an evening star" and "star". This was the name of the Ngati Tama Chief of Kaingaroa, Meremere (d. 1860) who protected Moriori under him from other Maori chiefs during the Moriori genocide... [more]
MokihanafHawaiian From the name of a type of tree that grows on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The mokihana tree's fragrant berries are used in making leis.
MomilanifHawaiian (Rare) Means "heavenly pearl," "spiritual pearl," "royal pearl" or "noble pearl," from momi meaning "pearl" and lani meaning "sky, heaven, heavenly, spiritual, royal, exalted, noble, aristocratic."
Mo'om & fHawaiian Unisex name meaning “supernatural water lizard" or "lineage; legend”.
MooreafTahitian From the Tahitian Mo'ore'a meaning "yellow lizard". This was the name of Luisa Casati’s only grandchild, Moorea Hastings. Derived from the name of an island in French Polynesia.
NahenahefHawaiian Hawaiian feminine name meaning "soft, gentle".
NāhiʻenaʻenafHawaiian Means "the red-hot raging fires" from Hawaiian nā, "the (plural)", ahi, "fire", and 'ena'ena, "red-hot". This was the name of a 19th-century Hawaiian princess, the daughter of Kamehameha I.
NāinoamHawaiian Originally given as the third name of a child who was named after two relatives or friends, meaning "the namesakes" from the Hawaiian plural definite article, nā, with inoa "name"... [more]
Nākaif & mHawaiian From the Hawaiian nā meaning "quieted, pacified" or "the (plural)" and kai meaning "sea(s)".
NaneafHawaiian Directly taken from Hawaiian nanea meaning "fascinating, interesting, enjoyable". It was one of the top 100 most popular names for girls born in Hawaii in 2005 and the name of a doll in the American Girl line, released in 2017.
NaurifTahitian Means "the two young coconut shoots", referring to the southern archipelagos south of French Polynesia.
Nawa'akoamHawaiian Means "koa canoe" from Hawaiian waʻa "canoe" combined with koa "koa tree". A known bearer is Nawaʻakoa Lisiate Foti Analeseanoa "Koa" Misi (1987-), an American footballer.
NiusaefPolynesian Means "tearing apart coconut leaves" in Bellonese.
NoʻeaumHawaiian Hawaiian masculine name meaning "clever, artistic".
Noheaf & mHawaiian Directly taken from Hawaiian nohea meaning "handsome, pretty, lovely".
NohealanifHawaiian Means "pretty sky," "pretty heaven," "lovely sky" or "lovely heaven," from nohea meaning "handsome, pretty, lovely" and lani meaning "sky, heaven, heavenly, spiritual, royal, exalted, noble, aristocratic."
NohoariimTahitian Means "king's house" or "place of the king", from Tahitian ari'i meaning "king" and noho meaning "house, home, place".
Noʻoroam & fCook Islands Maori Means "long stay," derived from noʻo meaning "stay" and roa meaning "long."
Nuʻuanum & fHawaiian A unisex Hawaiian name derived from the word nuʻu meaning “height” and anu meaning “cool”, thus "chilly heights". It is also the name of a cliff, valley, and stream in Honolulu.
OpetaiamPolynesian Polynesian form of Obediah or Obadiah, “serving god, serving Yahweh”. A notable bearer of this name is Opetaia Foa’i, composer, singer, guitarist and founder of the Contemporary Polynesian band Te Vaka, and songwriter for Disney's Moana.
PakimMaori This name in English means fine weather. It's also a male personal name. This was the name of a Waikato Chief. This was the name of Paki Whara a Ngati Tama Elder who in the 1800s gather information on the Moriori and Chatham Islands which contributed to the invasion of Chatham Islands.
Pālaum & fHawaiian From the Hawaiian word which can mean "to tell tall tales, talk", "war club", or "taro".
PalaunimSamoan Samoan adaptation of Brown. This was the name Samoans called to British missionary George Brown, who became an important figure in Samoa... [more]
PaniafMaori, Polynesian Mythology Means "water" in Māori. Pania, often styled 'Pania of the Reef', was the Māori goddess of water, and is a symbol of the New Zealand city of Napier. A known bearer is Pania Rose (1984-), an Australian model of partial Māori descent.
ParairemMaori Meaning as of yet unknown. A known bearer of this name is the Maori politician Paraire Karaka Paikea (1894-1943) from New Zealand.
ParekuramMaori Means "battle, battlefield" in Maori. A notable bearer of this name is the Maori politician Parekura Horomia (1950-2013) from New Zealand.
PashynfHawaiian Variation of Passion, as used by Pashyn Santos, a Hawaiian actress and activist.
PatukawengamMaori The meaning of this name has not just one meaning possibly due to the Patu and Kawenga portions of this name. Patu means "screen", "wall", "edge", etc. Kawenga means "burden". This was the name of the Senior Ngati Mutunga Chief Patukawenga (d... [more]
Pauahif & mHawaiian Hawaiian unisex name either meaning "consumed by fire" or "putting out fire".
PawamMoriori This name means dust. This was the name of a Moriori elder and expert on Moriori lore named Pawa Ngamunanga Kahuki. The name has and may still be used as a last name.
Piʻikeaf & mHawaiian Hawaiian unisex name meaning "the life ascends".
Piʻilanim & fHawaiian Means "rising sky" or "to ascend to heaven," from piʻi meaning "climb, ascend, advance, mount, rise" and lani meaning "sky, heaven, heavenly, spiritual, royal, exalted, noble, aristocratic."... [more]
PoeivafTahitian Means "brilliant pearl"; a combination of poe "pearl" and iva, a diminutive of iva iva meaning "brilliant".
Poemaf & mTahitian Means "pearl of the deep seas"; a combination of Tahitian poe "pearl" and mā "clean, pure, clear".
PoeranifTahitian Means "heavenly pearl" or "divine pearl"; a combination of Tahitian poe meaning "pearl" and rani, which is derived from Tuamotuan rangi meaning "heaven".
PoeravafTahitian Means "black pearl"; a combination of Tahitian poe meaning "pearl" and rava meaning "black".
PualeifHawaiian (Rare) Means "lei of flower" or "child of blossom," from pua meaning "flower, blossom" and lei meaning "lei, garland, wreath, (figuratively) beloved child."
Pueom & fHawaiian (Rare) From the word referring to the Hawaiian short-eared owl, the owl being one of the more famous physical forms assumed by ʻaumākua (ancestor spirits) in Hawaiian culture, which vary.
Puhim & fHawaiian Means "burn, set on fire" in Hawaiian.
PumipimMoriori This name could maybe be a feminine name. This was the name of a signatory to the 1862 Moriori Crown Petition and Waitangi district leading elder named Pumipi Te Rangaranga.
RangitokonamMoriori This is the name of the god who divided Heaven and earth and shaped man. This is also the name of a Maori Chief named Te Rangi Tokona.
RarahufLiterature, Tahitian French variant of Rarau used by Pierre Loti in his popular autobiographical novel 'Le mariage de Loti' (1880), where it belongs to a native Tahitian woman who is the lover of the narrator - a French naval officer stationed on the island.
RauparahamMaori This name in English is "calystegia sepium" a weedy vine or wildflower. New Zealand colonists mistranslated a person with this name "The Robuller." This is the name of Ngati Toa Chief Te Rauparaha (d... [more]