Ka-Lae as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ka-Lae

What is the meaning of the name Ka-Lae ?

The baby name Ka-Lae is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced KAH-lah-eh (Hawaiian); anglicized: KAH-lay.

Ka-Lae is Hawaiian in Origin.

Ka-Lae is a Hawaiian given name built from ka (“the,” definite article) + lae (“brow, headland, promontory, point”), together meaning “the point” or “the cape.” It evokes Ka Lae, the southern tip of Hawai‘i Island, a storied landfall for Polynesian voyagers and a fixed landmark in traditional wayfinding. As a personal name, Ka-Lae suggests guidance, steadfastness, and a clear horizon - qualities associated with a prominent headland.

The name appears in Hawaiian records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is used by all genders, though it remains uncommon outside Hawai‘i. Orthography varies with family preference and Hawaiian spelling conventions: Ka-Lae (hyphenated), Ka Lae (spaced), and Kalae (solid compound) are all seen; some families also employ diacritics in formal Hawaiian. Diminutives include Lae. Meaning associations remain consistent across variants: “headland,” “promontory,” “brow,” and, by extension, “guidepost.”

⚙ We can't find Ka-Lae in any of the birth registries or name datasets we track. It's the kind of name that tends to be rare, regional, or newly made up. Whatever the reason, hardly anyone else has it.