The Hawaiian language and culture are closely related to other Polynesian areas, and with these aspects of the culture brought to the Hawaiian islands over 1000 years ago also came the first dogs to the area. Of course, in Polynesian areas, there was little need to name most dogs, since some were for companionship while most were considered a delicacy to be fed to chieftains and royalty. Hawaiians, however, had a different outlook, and Hawaiian dog names became popular, especially as a new breed began to develop.
Over time, the original ancestry was interbred and the old dogs became extinct, leaving a new breed of pup referred to by the Hawaiians as poi dogs (mostly because they are fed a diet rich in poi – a type of fish – when kept as pets). As with names for people in the culture, Hawaiian dog names have meanings when translated into other languages. You’ll also notice that the Hawaiian alphabet is quite limited, and Hawaiian dog names can be very distinctive and sound like lyrics to a song because of the limited vowel and consonant sounds in the language. If you’d like to get an idea of what Hawaiian dog names may look and sound like, glance at the list below and see if any of those are appropriate for your use.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ailani Alana Aliikia Hanai Hula Kale Kona Keiki Po Wahine | Meanings – high chief Meanings – awakening Meanings – queen of the sea Meanings – adopt Meanings – dance Meanings – strong, manly Meanings – golden coast Meanings – child Meanings – night Meanings – girl |