Hiri as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Hiri

What is the meaning of the name Hiri ?

The baby name Hiri is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced HEE-ree (IPA: /ˈhi.ri/ or /ˈhiːri/).

Hiri is Polynesian in Origin.

Hiri is a cross-cultural given name with several credible roots. In Pali, hiri denotes ethical self-respect or wholesome shame, the virtue paired with ottappa in Buddhist texts; families in Theravāda cultures sometimes adopt it as a meaningful virtue name. In Basque, hiri simply means “city,” so Hiri fits the modern trend of place- and landscape-derived names. The word also carries resonance in Papua New Guinea, where Hiri names historic Motu trading voyages celebrated at the Hiri Moale Festival, occasionally inspiring given-name use.

Usage is rare and largely modern, with the name functioning as unisex across contexts. The spelling typically remains Hiri; Basque-influenced elaborations like Hiria (“the city”) appear in some records. Nicknames include Hi and Ri. Meanings therefore range from “conscience/modesty” to “city/town,” or, in PNG settings, a cultural nod to seafaring trade.

⚙ Hiri is a rare find. There are only 80 recorded uses of it in our data, from 26 countries.