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

What is the meaning of the name Ka-Wena ?

The baby name Ka-Wena is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced kah-WEH-nah.

Ka-Wena is Hawaiian in Origin.

Ka-Wena is a Hawaiian given name formed from ka “the” and wena “glow, blush, incandescence,” together expressing “the glow” or “the rosy radiance of dawn or sunset.” In Hawaiian poetry and mele, wena evokes warmth, charisma, and the shining flush on the horizon, so the name carries connotations of brilliance and affectionate warmth.

Usage is documented among Native Hawaiian families and became widely recognized through the esteemed scholar Mary Kawena Pukui, whose middle name helped familiarize it beyond the islands. It is used for all genders, though more often feminine in modern practice. Common variants include Kawena (unhyphenated) and Ka Wena (spaced); Wena appears as a nickname or independent short form. Some families add diacritics (kahakō) in full Hawaiian spelling. Related semantic neighbors include ‘Ula (“red”) and Ahi (“fire”). The hyphenated styling Ka-Wena is a contemporary preference without changing meaning.

⚙ We can't find Ka-Wena in any of the birth registries or name datasets we track. Names like this are usually very rare, tied to a particular region or tradition, or freshly invented. Whichever it is, scarcely anyone else carries it.