Polynesian Submitted Place Names

These names are used on the various Polynesian islands of the Pacific.
type
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Āhia (Region) Maori
Maori form of Asia.
Ahitereiria (Region & Country) Maori
Maori form of Australia.
ʻAikiopia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Ethiopia.
ʻAikupika (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Egypt.
ʻĀina Hau (Country & Island) Hawaiian
Means "ice land" or "cold land" in Hawaiian, used as the Hawaiian name of Iceland.
Airangi (Country & Island) Maori
Maori form of Ireland.
ʻAkepaikana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Azerbaijan.
ʻĀkia (Region) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Asia.
Alaki (Settlement) Tongan
ʻAlekelia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Algeria.
ʻAlekina (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Argentina.
ʻAmelika (Country & Region) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of America.
ʻĀmēnia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Armenia.
Āmenia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Armenia.
Āmenia (Country) Maori, Tahitian
Maori and Tahitian form of Armenia.
ʻAneʻālika (Region) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Antarctica.
ʻApekanikana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Afghanistan.
ʻApelika (Region) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Africa.
Arapeinia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Albania.
Aratiria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Algeria.
Atepaihānia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Azerbaijan.
Atepaihānia (Country) Maori, Tahitian
Maori and Tahitian form of Azerbaijan.
Ateria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Austria.
ʻAukekulelia (Country & Region) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Australia.
ʻAukekulia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Austria.
Āwhekenetāna (Country) Maori
Maori form of Afghanistan.
Āwherika (Region) Maori
Maori form of Africa.
Baharaina (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Bahrain.
Banagaladesa (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Bangladesh.
ʻEnelani (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of England.
Eritēria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Eritrea.
ʻEsetonia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Estonia.
Etonia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Estonia.
ʻEulopa (Region) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Europe.
Farāni (Country) Tahitian
Tahitian form of France.
Haina (Country) Maori
Maori form of China.
Haipara (Island & Country) Maori
Maori form of Cyprus.
Haipīria (Region) Maori
Maori form of Siberia.
Hamaika (Country & Island) Maori
Maori form of Jamaica.
Hanekeria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Hungary.
Hato Ruiha (Country & Island) Maori
Maori form of Saint Lucia.
Hauaiʻi (Political Subdivision & Island) Tongan
Tongan form of Hawaii.
Hauti Arapia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Saudi Arabia.
Hawaiʻi (Political Subdivision & Island) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Hawaii.
Heikere (Country) Maori
Maori form of Seychelles.
Henekara (Country) Maori
Maori form of Senegal.
Heremani (Country) Tahitian
Tahitian form of Germany.
Hēwia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Serbia.
Hilo (Settlement) Hawaiian, English
Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Hawaiian hilo meaning "twist, braid, spin". This is the name of a town in the US state of Hawaii.
Hingapoa (Country, Settlement & Island) Maori
Maori form of Singapore.
Hīraka (Country & Island) Maori
Maori form of Sri Lanka.
Hiria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Syria.
Hōlani (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Holland 1, referring to the entire country of the Netherlands.
Honolulu (Settlement) Hawaiian, English
Means "sheltered harbor", from Hawaiian hono "bay, harbor" and lulu "shelter". This is the state capital of Hawaii.
Honotura (Country) Maori
Maori form of Honduras.
Hōrana (Country) Maori
Maori form of Holland 1, referring to the entire country of the Netherlands.
Hōrano (Country) Maori
Maori form of Jordan.
Hōria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Georgia 1 (the country).
Horowākia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Slovakia.
Horowinia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Slovenia.
Huitene (Country) Maori
Maori form of Sweden.
Huiterangi (Country) Maori
Maori form of Switzerland.
Hūmārie (Country) Maori
Maori form of Somalia.
Hunakalia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Hungary.
Hurināme (Country) Maori
Maori form of Suriname.
Hūtāne (Country) Maori
Maori form of Sudan.
Iāpana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Japan.
Iapani (Country) Samoan
Samoan form of Japan.
Ielukalema (Settlement) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Jerusalem.
Īemene (Country) Maori
Maori form of Yemen
Iemene (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Yemen.
Iharaira (Country) Maori
Maori form of Israel.
Īhipa (Country) Maori
Maori form of Egypt.
ʻĪkālia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Italia (see Italy).
ʻIlaka (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Iraq.
ʻIlana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Iran.
ʻIlelani (Country & Island) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Ireland.
Ingarangi (Country) Maori
Maori form of England.
ʻĪnia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of India.
Īnia (Country) Maori
Maori form of India.
ʻInidonesia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Indonesia.
Initonīhia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Indonesia.
Ioredāne (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Jordan (the country).
Īrāki (Country) Maori
Maori form of Iraq.
Īrāna (Country) Maori
Maori form of Iran.
ʻIseraʻela (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Israel.
Itāria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Italia (see Italy).
’Itāria (Country) Tahitian
Tahitian form of Italia (see Italy).
Kahoolawe (Island) Hawaiian
"The" + "to Subtract, Erode" ... the only uninhabited island in Hawaii
Kaiana (Country) Maori, Thai
Maori and Thai form of Guyana.
Kaikikana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Kyrgyzstan.
Kamabodia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Cambodia.
Kamakeko (Settlement) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Damascus.
Kamapōtia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Cambodia.
Kamarūna (Country) Maori
Maori form of Cameroon.
Kamupōtia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Cambodia.
Kanakā (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Canada.
Kānapera (Settlement) Maori
Maori form of Canberra.
Kānata (Country) Maori
Maori form of Canada.
Kapalakiko (Settlement) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of San Francisco.
Kāpona (Country) Maori
Maori form of Gabon.
Karamea (Settlement) Maori, English
Means "speargrass" in Maori, peobably from a corruption of kakara taramea meaning "sweet-scented gum (of speargrass leaves)". This is the name of a town in New Zealand.
Kasakana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Kazakhstan.
Kāta (Body of Water & Country) Maori
Maori form of Chad.
Katā (Country) Maori
Maori form of Qatar.
Katala (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Qatar.
Katatānga (Country) Maori
Maori form of Kazakhstan.
Kauaʻi (Island) Hawaiian
Meaning unknown. This is the fourth largest of the Hawaii Islands.
Kehitāna (Country) Maori
Maori form of Kyrgyzstan.
Kekokia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Scotland.
Kelemānia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Alemannia, used as the Hawaiian name of Germany.
Kenemaka (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Denmark.
Keokia (Country & Political Subdivision) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Georgia 1 or Georgia 2, referring to both the country and US state.
Kerenāra (Country) Maori
Maori form of Grenada.
Kīlauea (Other) Hawaiian
Combination of Hawaiian , an intensifying prefix, lau "many, much", and ea "to rise, expand". This is an active volcano in the US state Hawaii, located on the island Hawai'i.
Kirihi (Country) Maori
Maori form of Greece.
Kiupa (Country & Island) Maori
Maori form of Cuba.
Kōlea (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Korea.
Koloatia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Croatia.
Kōngo (River & Country) Maori
Maori form of Congo.
Kōrea (Country) Maori
Maori form of Korea.
Koroātia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Croatia.
Kōtirana (Country) Maori
Maori form of Scotland.
Koto Rika (Country) Maori
Maori form of Costa Rica.
Kuatamara (Country) Maori
Maori form of Guatemala.
Kuekene (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Sweden.
Kuete (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Kuwait.
Kuleke (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Turkey.
Kupelo (Country & Island) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Cyprus.
Kūweiti (Country & Settlement) Maori
Maori form of Kuwait.
Lakawia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Latvia.
Lanai (Island) Hawaiian
Lepanona (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Lebanon.
Likenekaina (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Liechtenstein.
Lukemapuka (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Luxembourg.
Lūkia (Country) Hawaiian
Variant of Rūsia.
Maikoronihia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Micronesia.
Maladiwa (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Maldives.
Malaisia (Country) Greek, Hawaiian
Greek and Hawaiian form of Malaysia.
Marako (Country) Maori
Maori form of Morocco.
Mārata (Country & Island) Maori
Maori form of Malta.
Maratīwi (Country) Maori
Maori form of Maldives.
Marāwi (Country) Maori
Maori form of Malawi.
Marēhia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Malaysia.
Māri (Country) Maori
Maori form of Mali.
Maui (Island) Hawaiian, English
Likely from the name of the Hawaiian trickster god Māui. This is the name of an island in the U.S. state of Hawaii.
Mauritānia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Mauritania.
Mekiko (Country & Settlement) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Mexico.
Mongōria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Mongolia.
Monokolia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Mongolia.
Morotawa (Country) Maori
Maori form of Moldova.
Naigeria (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Nigeria
Namīpia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Namibia.
Nekelana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Netherlands.
Nepala (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Nepal.
Nepōra (Country) Maori
Maori form of Nepal.
Ngāika (River & Country) Maori
Maori form of Niger.
Ngāitiria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Nigeria.
Nikarāhua (Country) Maori
Maori form of Nicaragua.
Nipono (Country) Maori
Maori form of Nippon.
Nolewai (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Norway.
Noruvetia (Country) Tahitian
Tahitian form of Norway.
Nōwei (Country) Maori
Maori form of Norway.
Nūkilani (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of New Zealand.
Nuʻu Sila (Country) Tongan
Tongan form of New Zealand.
Oʻahu (Island) Hawaiian
Meaning unknown. Legend says that a Polynesian navigator who discovered the Hawaiian islands named it after his daughter. This is the third largest and most populated island in Hawaii... [more]
ʻOmana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Oman.
Pāhama (Country) Maori
Maori form of Bahamas.
Pākaratēhi (Country) Maori
Maori form of Bangladesh.
Pakitana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Pakistan.
Pakitāne (Country) Maori
Maori form of Pakistan.
Palani (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of France.
Panamā (Country) Maori
Maori form of Panama.
Pāniora (Country) Maori
Maori form of Spain.
Paniora (Country) Tahitian
Borrowed from Spanish español meaning "Spanish" or from the name España, used as the Tahitian name for Spain.
Pāpatohe (Island & Country) Maori
Maori form of Barbados.
Parakai (Country) Maori
Maori form of Paraguay.
Pāreina (Country) Maori
Maori form of Bahrain.
Parihitini (Country) Maori
Maori form of Palestine.
Pearīni (Settlement) Maori
Maori form of Berlin.
Pehiamu (Country) Maori
Maori form of Belgium.
Pelekiuma (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Belgium.
Pelelina (Settlement) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Berlin.
Pēma (Country) Maori
Maori form of Burma.
Pērara (Country) Maori
Maori form of Belarus.
Pērihi (Country) Maori
Maori form of Belize.
Perū (Country) Japanese, Maori
Japanese and Maori form of Peru.
Pierorūtia (Country) Tahitian
Tahitian form of Belarus.
Pinilana (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Finland.
Piripīni (Country) Maori
Maori form of Philippines.
Pōlani (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Poland.
Pōrana (Country) Maori
Maori form of Poland.
Pōrīnetia (Region) Tahitian
Tahitian form of Polynesia.
Poriwana (Country) Maori
Maori form of Botswana.
Poronai (Country) Maori
Maori form of Brunei.
Potisuana (Country) Tongan
Tongan form of Botswana.
Potukara (Country) Maori
Maori form of Portugal.
Pulukalia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Bulgaria.
Purukāria (Country) Maori
Maori form of Bulgaria.
Puruma (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Burma.
Puruniti (Country) Maori
Maori form of Burundi.
Putāna (Country) Maori
Maori form of Bhutan.
Raipiri (Country) Maori
Maori form of Liberia.
Rakapuō (Country, Settlement & Political Subdivision) Maori
Maori form of Luxembourg.
Rangihaute (Island) Moriori
This is the name the Moriori gave Pitt Island in the Chatham Archipelago. On this island Moriori slaves hid from Maori masters during the Moriori enslavement. One of these slaves include a man named Koche, a popular (among the Moriori) son of a Moriori chief, who escape from his Maori master.
Rāoho (Country) Maori
Maori form of Laos.
Rāwhia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Latvia.
Rēkohu (Island) Moriori
The name means "misty sun" or "misty skies." This was what the Moriori called the Chatham Islands. This is what they also called Chatham Island.
Repanona (Country) Maori
Maori form of Lebanon.
Rīkeneteina (Country) Maori
Maori form of Liechtenstein.
Rituānia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Lithuania.
Romānia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Romania.
Romeinia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Romania.
Rūhia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Russia.
Rūsia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Russia.
Saudi ʻAlapia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Saudi Arabia.
Sepania (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Hispania (see Spain).
Siamani (Country) Samoan
Samoan form of Germany.
Sililanaka (Country & Island) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Sri Lanka.
Sinapoa (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Singapore.
Solowakia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Slovakia.
Solowenia (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Slovenia.
Suria (Country) Bashkir, Hawaiian
Bashkir and Hawaiian form of Syria.
Tahikitāna (Country) Maori
Maori form of Tajikistan.
Tailani (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Thailand.
Tairana (Country) Maori
Maori form of Thailand.
Tākei (Country) Maori
Maori form of Turkey.
Tāpōnē (Country) Tahitian
Tahitian form of Japan.
Taumatawhakatangi­hangakoauauotamatea­turipukakapikimaunga­horonukupokaiwhen­uak (Mountain) English (New Zealand), Maori
Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukaka­piki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­ki­tana­tahu is a hill near Porangahau, south of Waipukurau in southern Hawke's Bay, New Zealand... [more]
Taupo (Settlement) Maori, English (New Zealand)
This is a city in New Zealand. ... [more]
Te Ika A Māui (Island) Maori
This is the Maori name for North Island in New Zealand. The name in English is "the fish of Māui." Navigator Kupe according to a Polynesian tradition shaped the islands of New Zealand.
Tekoa (Mountain) Maori
Mount Tekoa is a mountain range in South New Zealand.
Tenemāka (Country) Maori
Maori form of Denmark.
Te Waipounamu (Island) Maori
This is the Maori name for the South Island in New Zealand. Around 1550 Maoris migrated from North Island in what is now New Zealand to South Island due to high population.
Tiamana (Country) Maori
Maori form of Germania (see Germany).
Tīekia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Czechia.
Tiorangi (Country) Maori
Maori form of Iceland
Toga (Country) Fijian, Samoan
Fijian and Samoan form of Tonga.
Tukumanatānga (Country) Maori
Maori form of Turkmenistan.
Tūnihia (Country) Maori
Maori form of Tunisia.
Tuvalu (Country) Polynesian
Tuvalu is also the name of a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its name meaning 'eight standing together'.
Uhipeketāne (Country) Maori
Maori form of Uzbekistan.
Ūkareinga (Country) Maori
Maori form of Ukraine.
ʻUkelena (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Ukraine.
Ūropi (Region) Maori
Maori form of Europe.
Wanuatu (Country) Hawaiian, Lao, Thai, Turkmen
Hawaiian, Lao, Thai and Turkmen form of Vanuatu.
Wenekola (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Venezuela.
Wharekauri (Settlement) Maori
This is misnomer of the Chatham Islands and Chatham Island. A Maori man made this mistake before 1835. This came from a settlement on Chatham Island named Wharekauri. The Maori have called Chatham Island that to this day.
Whinirana (Country) Maori
Maori form of Finland.
Whītī (Country) Maori
Maori form of Fiji.
Whitināmu (Country) Maori
Maori form of Vietnam.
Wiekanama (Country) Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Vietnam.
Wīwī (Country) Maori
The Maori name for France, derived from French oui, oui meaning "yes, yes".