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Kamalei
How to Pronounce Kamalei
Pronounced kah-mah-LAY /kɑːmɑːˈleɪ/Low
Meaning: Kamalei is a Hawaiian name built from ka, 'the,' and elements for a beloved child and a lei, the flower garland that Hawaiians treasure as a token of love. Read together it means 'the beloved child' or 'the lei of love.' In Hawaiian tradition a cherished child is itself often called a lei, so the two senses are deeply intertwined.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Kamalei is a warm Hawaiian name joining ka, 'the,' with the ideas of a treasured child and a lei, the garland that symbolizes love and welcome in the islands. It reads as 'the beloved child' or 'the lei of love,' and it belongs to the graceful tradition of Hawaiian lei names.
Kamalei was always rare on the mainland, given to only about fourteen girls a year at its late-2000s peak and used mainly in Hawaiian families. A girl named Kamalei then is in her teens today; the name carries a tender, garland-of-love image drawn from island tradition.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Kamalei mean?
It is a Hawaiian name meaning 'the beloved child' or 'the lei (garland) of love,' from ka ('the') and lei.
How do you pronounce Kamalei?
It is said kah-mah-LAY /kɑːmɑːˈleɪ/ - three syllables, with the stress on the last.
Is Kamalei a boy or girl name?
Kamalei is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Kamalei?
It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fourteen girls a year at its peak in the late two-thousands.