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Home › Baby Names Directory › Maui

Maui

♀ Girl

Pronounced MOW-ee /ˈmaʊ.i/Medium

Meaning: A place name — the Hawaiian island of Maui — and, in Polynesian tradition across Hawaii, Aotearoa and beyond, the name of Maui, a culture hero and demigod told of as snaring the sun and fishing up islands. Used as a given name it is a place and hero reference rather than a common word with a settled 'meaning'; we do not assign one.Low

In 30 seconds: Maui is the Hawaiian island — and the name of Maui, a demigod of Polynesian tradition. Used as a name, it is a place and hero reference (said 'MOW-ee').
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Origin LowHawaiian, Polynesian
MeaningA place name — the Hawaiian island of Maui — and, in Polynesian tradition across Hawaii, Aotearoa and beyond, the name of Maui, a culture hero and demigod told of as snaring the sun and fishing up islands. Used as a given name it is a place and hero reference rather than a common word with a settled 'meaning'; we do not assign one.
U.S. rank (2024)#14596 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2020
Total births (all-time)≈ 121

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202020042024

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

Maui names one of the Hawaiian islands, and in Polynesian tradition it is the name of Maui, a culture hero and demigod whose stories — snaring the sun, fishing up islands — are told across Hawaii, Aotearoa and the Pacific. He is a figure of living cultural and spiritual meaning, treated here with respect. Used as a given name in the U.S., Maui reads chiefly as an island and hero reference rather than a word with a tidy translation, so we do not invent one (said 'MOW-ee').

It appears only rarely in the U.S. as a given name. Rare, evocative, and place-rooted.

Did you know? Maui is a demigod of Polynesian tradition, told of across Hawaii, Aotearoa and the wider Pacific as the one who snared the sun and fished islands from the sea. He is honored in living cultures, and is also the character many children know from an animated film (said 'MOW-ee').
Overall data confidence 35%
References — Maui — Hawaiian island; Maui, Polynesian culture hero/demigod; no etymology invented

Variations

MauriMaile

Nicknames

MauMimi

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Maui…

Leilani— a like Hawaiian girl's name
Kailani— a like sea-and-sky Hawaiian pick
Moana— a like Polynesian ocean-linked name
Kalani— a like Hawaiian name of the heavens

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Maui mean?

Maui is the name of a Hawaiian island and of Maui, a demigod and culture hero of Polynesian tradition. As a given name it is a place and hero reference rather than a word with a settled meaning, so we do not assign one.

How do you pronounce Maui?

It's said MOW-ee /ˈmaʊ.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Maui a boy or girl name?

Maui is used here as a girl's name; note that Maui the demigod of Polynesian tradition is male, and the name is also used for boys.

How popular is Maui?

Maui is rare as a given name in the U.S., far better known as an island.

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