Pacific Islands (Fijian, Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian) names
29 names from the Pacific Islands (Fijian, Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian) naming tradition, each with its meaning, origin, pronunciation and how it is seen around the world.
- AlofaUnisexThe Samoan word for "love" or "compassion", used as a given name.
- Ata (Pacific Islands (Fijian, Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian))UnisexFrom Samoan and Māori: "morning" or "dawn".
- HeiraniGirlJoins the Tahitian words for a flower garland and the sky, picturing a wreath reaching up toward the heavens.
- HeitiareGirlCombines the Tahitian words for a flower garland and the tiare, the island gardenia, into a single blossom-crown image.
- HeremoanaBoyPairs the Tahitian word for something cherished with the word for the ocean, giving a name close to beloved of the sea.
- HerenuiGirlJoins the Tahitian word for cherished with the word for great, so the name says something close to great love.
- Hina (Pacific Islands (Fijian, Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian))GirlFrom an old Polynesian word for a pale, silvery grey; also the name of a widely known moon goddess.
- HīnanoUnisexNames the fragrant male flower of the pandanus tree, used across French Polynesia to scent oil and to mark celebrations.
- Jone (Pacific Islands (Fijian, Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian))BoyThe Fijian form of John, with Norwegian usage as a variant.
- MaevaGirlTahitian word for welcome, carried over into use as a girl's given name.
- MalakaiBoyHow Fijian and Tongan speakers say Malachi, the Hebrew prophet's name meaning "my messenger".
- Manu (Pacific Islands (Fijian, Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian))BoyThe word for "bird" shared by Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan, Māori and Hawaiian.
- MiriamaGirlMiriam, spelled out in full by Fijian and Māori speakers; the same form is also used in Slovakia.
- MoanaUnisexFrom Polynesian languages including Māori: "ocean, the vast expanse of sea, or the deep waters".
- MoeataGirlCombines the Tahitian words for sleep and cloud, evoking the drifting image of a cloud within a dream.
- MoeraniUnisexCombines the Tahitian words for sleep and sky, picturing someone resting beneath the heavens.
- PoemaGirlCombines the Tahitian words for "pearl" and "pure", suggesting something like a pearl without a flaw.
- PomareUnisexBuilt from Tahitian pō, "night", and mare, "cough": together, a name that literally reads as "night cough".
- SemisiBoyJames, as Tongan and Fijian speakers pronounce it; ultimately from Hebrew Jacob.
- SioneBoyThe Tongan and Samoan form of John, from Hebrew Yohanan, "God is gracious".
- TamatoaBoyFrom Tahitian tama, "child", and toa, "warrior": a boy marked out as a fighter from birth.
- TeivaBoyFrom Tahitian te, "the", and iva, "nine": read together, "the ninth".
- TevitaBoyDavid, in its Fijian and Tongan spelling; from Hebrew Dawid, "beloved".
- TiareGirlTahitian for "flower", used above all for the fragrant white gardenia worn in the hair and in garlands.
- Tui (Pacific Islands (Fijian, Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian))Boy"Chief" or "paramount ruler", a native word used as a name across Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
- VaihereGirlFrom Tahitian vai, "water", and here, "loved" or "dear": loosely, a beloved, cherished one.
- VaimitiGirlFrom Tahitian vai, "water", and miti, "sea" or "salt": together, something close to seawater.
- VaitiareGirlFrom Tahitian vai, "water", and tiare, "flower": together, a flower growing by, or floating on, water.
- ViliameBoyWilliam, spelled the Fijian way; from Old High German roots for "will" and "protection".