This is a list of submitted names in which the usage is Polynesian; and the pattern is *a*r*.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Ahorā f & m MaoriMeans "light over there" in Māori. From aho "light" and -rā "there".
Ahumere f TahitianDerived from Tahitian
ahu meaning "clothes, tapa cloth" and
mere meaning "parental grief, grief of a parent".
Ahutiare f TahitianFrom Tahitian
ahu meaning "clothes, fabric, garment" and
tiare meaning "flower, blossom".
Ahuura f & m TahitianMeans "red dress" from the Tahitian phrase
ʻahu ʻura ariʻi o te toʻo ao te rā meaning "royal red robe of the sunset".
Aitoarii m TahitianFrom the Tahitian
aito meaning "warrior" and
ari'i meaning "noble".
Amokura m & f Maori (Rare)Maori word for the red-tailed tropicbird, whose feathers were highly prized in traditional Maori society.
Anoarii m Polynesian, TahitianName of Tahitian origin, composed by "ano", meaning "essence", "spirit" and "Arii", meaning "king", "chief".
Apirana m MaoriMāori form of
Abidan. Notable Maori bearers of this name include the politician Apirana Ngata (1874-1950) and the professional rugby player Apirana "Api" Pewhairangi (b... [
more]
Arahia f MaoriPathfinder, feminine word for chief, leader, one who leads the way
Aria f MaoriĀria means "tidal pool" in Māori. Ariā means "idea, concept" in Māori.
Ariere m Maori, BiblicalMaori form of
Ariel, as it appears in the original 1868 edition of
Te Paipera Tapu ("The Holy Bible").
Ariihau m TahitianMeans "peaceful king" or "king of peace" from Tahitian
ariʻi meaning "noble, aristocrat, king" combined with
hau "concord, peace".
Ariimana m PolynesianPolynesian origin name, composed by "Arii", meaning "king", "chief" and "mana", meaning "power" or "Divine authority".
Ariinui m TahitianFrom the Tahitian
ari'i meaning "noble" and
nui, an archaic term meaning "big".
Ariitaia m TahitianMeans "respected king" in Tahitian; a combination of
ari'i meaning "king" and
taia meaning "respect, fear".
Ariitea m TahitianMeans "white king"; a combination of Tahitian
ari'i "white" and
téa "white, light, pale".
Aroarii m TahitianMeans "face king"; a combination of
aro "face, forehead, sight" and
ari'i "king".
Fara m TahitianMeans "screwpine" (also called
pandanus; a type of plant and fruit) in Tahitian.
Farahinano f TahitianFrom the Tahitian
fara meaning "panadus" and
hinano meaning "panadus blossom".
Faraura f PolynesianPolynesian origin name, composed by "fara", meaning "brght" or "light" and "ura", meaning "red", hence the meaning is "red light".
Haere m MaoriPersonification of the rainbow in Māori myth.
Hanaura f PolynesianName of Polynesian origin, composed by "hana", that means "to create" and "ura", referred to a typical Polynesian dance. Hence the meaning can be interpreted as "creative dance" or "creative dancer".
Hanorai m & f Polynesian, TahitianName of Polynesian origin, composed by "hano", meaning "going" and "rai", meaning "sky". Hence the meaning is "going to the sky".
Harete f MaoriMeaning as of yet unknown. A notable bearer of this name is the Maori politician Harete Hipango (born c. 1964) from New Zealand.
Haurai m & f PolynesianPolynesian name, composed by "hau", meaning "peace" and "rai", meaning "sky", "heaven"; hence the meaning can be interpreted as "heavenly peace".
Hauranui f PolynesianPolynesian name, composed by "haura", meaning "life force" and "nui", meaning "big", "great"; hence the meaning is "great life force".
Hauranui m PolynesianPolynesian name, composed by "haura", meaning "life force" and "nui", meaning "big", "great"; hence the meaning is "great life force".
Haureva f Polynesian, TahitianPolynesian origin name, composed by "hau", meaning "breath" or "breeze" (and also "peace") and "reva", that means "flying", "floating". Hence the meaning is interpreted as "floating breeze", "blowing breeze".
Heiarii m & f TahitianMeans "crown king, royal crown" in Tahitian; derived from
ari'i meaning "king".
Hoarii m PolynesianPolynesian name, meaning "young friend" or "chief and friend".
Ihimaera f MaoriThis name in English even though possibly female before European contact means Ishmael. This is the name of Owenga and Otonga Moriori Ihimaera Rehe (d. 1903) who was a daughter of Owenga-Otonga chief and mother of the last full blooded Moriori Tommy Solomon.
Kahukura m & f MaoriMeans "red ocre cape" Māori. Personification of the rainbow in Māori myth along with Haere and Ōuenuku.
Kaiora f & m PolynesianPolynesian origin name, composed by "kai", meaning "ocean" and "ora", meaning "life".
Kairì m HawaiianKairi or Kairì is a name of hawaiian origin, meaning "calm sea".
Kairoa m & f Hawaiian, PolynesianPolynesian origin name, composed by "kai", meaning "sea" and "roa", meaning "big", "great", so the meaning is "great sea", "vaste sea".
Kara f MaoriVariant of Kare meaning "friend" in Maori.
Karamea f MaoriMeans "red ochre" in Maori. Also a loan word from English, meaning "caramel".
Kawariki m & f MaoriMeans "bitter plant". Maori name for the
Coprosma grandifolia, a shrub native to New Zealand.
Kiaora f & m PolynesianIt derives from the Polynesian salut "kia ora", meaning "may you have health".
Mairangi f MaoriEtymology uncertain, possibly from the Maori
mai meaning "for ages, for a long time" and
rangi meaning "day" or "sky, heaven".
Mairenui f Polynesian, TahitianPolynesian name, composed by "Maire", that is the Tahitian name of the flower Alyxia Stellata and "nui", meaning "big", "great".
Mana'arii m TahitianMeans "royal power" in Tahitian; a combination of
mana "power" and
ari'i "king".
Manaura f PolynesianName of Polynesian origin, meaning "red energy", intended as "powerful energy".
Manuarii m TahitianCombination of Tahitian
manu "bird" and
ari'i "king, chief, prince". A known bearer is Manuarii Hauata (1994-), a footballer from French Polynesia.
Maraura f & m PolynesianPolynesian origin name, meaning "bright garden", "splendid garden".
Mareura f & m PolynesianPolynesian name, meaning "red sea", "red ocean", or "bright sea", "bright ocean".
Mareva f TahitianLiterally means "the one that passes quickly without turning", metaphorically meaning "shooting star".
Marevaura f PolynesianPolynesian origin name, composed by "mareva" and "ura", the meaning is "bright ocean breeze", or "dancing ocean breeze".
Marurai m PolynesianPolynesian origin name, composed by "mara", meaning "garden" and "rai", meaning "sun", hence the meaning is "garden of sun".
Matariki f MaoriMaori feminine name meaning "small eyes", the name of the Pleiades.
Maurea f PolynesianPolynesian name, meaning "true beauty", or "always beautiful".
Minarapa m MorioriThis was the name of a Moriori chief and tohunga "priest" named Minarapa Tamahiwaki who lived during the 1800s.
Naurea f PolynesianName of Polynesian origin, composed by "nau", meaning "group" or "family" and "rea", meaning "abundance". Hence the meaning can be interpreted as "abundant family".
Nauri f TahitianMeans "the two young coconut shoots", referring to the southern archipelagos south of French Polynesia.
Nohaura f PolynesianName of Polynesian origin, composed by "noha", meaning "stay" or "living" and "aura", meaning "light" or "gold". Hence the meaning can be interpreted as "staying in the light" or "living in the light".
Nohoarii m TahitianMeans "king's house" or "place of the king", from Tahitian
ari'i meaning "king" and
noho meaning "house, home, place".
Paraire m MaoriMeaning as of yet unknown. A known bearer of this name is the Maori politician Paraire Karaka Paikea (1894-1943) from New Zealand.
Parekura m MaoriMeans "battle, battlefield" in Maori. A notable bearer of this name is the Maori politician Parekura Horomia (1950-2013) from New Zealand.
Rarahu f Literature, TahitianFrench 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.
Rauparaha m MaoriThis 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]
Rongo-mai-tauira m MorioriThis was the name of a Moriori deity. He is the god of lightning and eels as well as "Will of the wisp."
Rongomaitere m MorioriThis is a personal noun. The name has different meanings that deal with the sea. It is an allegorical proportionate for ocean. This noun also means 'peace on the ocean.' One possible meaning is 'ocean god'... [
more]
Taitearii m TahitianMeans "king of the sea", a combination of Tahitian
tai meaning "sea" and
te ari'i meaning "the king".
Tamairangi f MaoriMeaning as of yet unknown. This was the name of a 19th-century Maori tribal leader and poet.
Tamakororo m MorioriThis name may also been used and may be use by females today. This was the name of a Moriori man who was killed in 1791 after a misunderstanding over a fishing net with the first outsiders who came to what is now the Chatham Islands.
Tara f & m MaoriMeans "peak, point" in Māori. Also Māori for "sternidae".
Taraina f TahitianTahitian name, composed by "tara", meaning "star" or "light" and "aina", meaning "earth". Hence the meaning is "star on earth" or "light on earth".
Tariana f MaoriPossibly derived from Maori
tāriana meaning "stallion".... [
more]
Tarita f Polynesian, English (American), Popular CultureThe name was borne by the native Polynesian actress Tarita Teriipia who became the third wife of Marlon Brando. Initial research indicates its a Sanskrit name meaning, "to overcome obstacles" but this needs further research.
Taurekareka m MaoriMeaning as of yet unknown. A notable bearer of this name is the Maori politician Taurekareka Hēnare (1878-1940) from New Zealand.
Te Arani f MaoriPossibly from
te ārani meaning "the orange" (referring to the fruit, not the colour).
Te Aroha f & m MaoriMeans "the love" in Maori (
te, "the" and
aroha, "love"). A variant of
Aroha.
Terevaura f PolynesianPolynesian origin name, based on "reva", meaning "to rise" and "ura", meaning "red" or "brightness"; hence the meaning can be interpreted as "raising to the brightness", "raising to the light".
Tevaria f PolynesianPolynesian origin name, meaning "the flourishing", "the blooming".
Tiareura f Polynesian, TahitianPolynesian origin name, composed by "Tiare", referred to a flower named Tiare and "ura", referred to a typical Polynesian dance. Hence the meaning can be interpreted as "dancing Tiare", "dancing flower".
Vahineura f PolynesianPolynesian name, composed by "vahine", meaning "woman" and "ura", referred to a Polynesian typical dance. Hence the meaning can be interpreted as "dancing woman".
Vaiarii m & f TahitianFrom the Tahitian
vai meaning "water" and
ari'i meaning "high chief, king", idiomatically meaning "royal water".
Vaimitiarii f TahitianFrom the Tahitian
vai meaning "water",
miti meaning "sea", and
ari'i meaning "noble", ultimately "noble sea water".
Vaiura m & f TahitianDerived from the Tahitian
vai meaning "water" and archaic
'ura meaning "red".
Vaura f Polynesian, TahitianPolynesian origin name, composed by "vai", meaning "water" and "ura", referred to a typical Polynesian dance; hence the meaning can be interpreted as "dancing water".
Waiaria f MaoriFrom
wai meaning "water" and
āria meaning "tidal pool".
Waitara f MaoriDerived from the Maori
waitara, possibly meaning "mountain stream" or "pure water".
Wharekura m MaoriThis name means "school of learning". Its also the name of a building where tohunga (priest) taught esoteric lore to students of his. This was the name of a Ngati Tama chief named Te Wharekura of the Ngati Wai Ngati Tama clan who along with his clan killed and cooked 50 Moriori in the mid-1800s at Te Raki in what is now Chatham Islands.