Ilima as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ilima

What is the meaning of the name Ilima ?

The baby name Ilima is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced ee-LEE-ma (IPA: /iˈliːmə/).

Ilima is Hawaiian in Origin.

Ilima is the Anglicized form of Hawaiian ‘Ilima, the name of a native mallow (Sida fallax) whose small golden blossoms are the official island flower of Oʻahu. In lei-making, thousands of delicate ‘ilima flowers are strung to create soft, golden garlands once favored by aliʻi (royalty), giving the name associations with beauty, warmth, and honor. As a given name, it thus conveys the sense of ilima blossom or Oʻahu’s flower, and by extension affection and celebration.

Used in Hawaii throughout the 20th century and more visibly since the Hawaiian cultural renaissance, Ilima is most often feminine but can be unisex, fitting the Hawaiian tradition of nature-based names. Variants include the indigenous form ‘Ilima (with the glottal stop), the simplified Ilima, and the compound Ilima-Lei. Related evocations include Lei ‘Ilima in poetic or ceremonial contexts, but the core meaning remains tied to the cherished flower.