Kahi’i as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Kahi’i

What is the meaning of the name Kahi’i ?

The baby name Kahi’i is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /kaˈhiʔi/ — ka-HEE-ee (with a glottal stop before the final i).

Kahi’i is Hawaiian in Origin.

Kahi‘i is a Hawaiian given name built from ka (“the”) + hi‘i, a verb meaning “to carry in the arms, cradle, cherish, nurse.” The okina (glottal stop) before the final i signals the root hi‘i and separates it from kahi, a different word with meanings such as “place” or “to scrape.” As a result, Kahi‘i conveys “the cherished one,” “the one held close,” or “to cradle,” and is used for any gender. It evokes tenderness, protection, and familial affection central to Hawaiian naming aesthetics.

The name appears in Hawaiian naming traditions and remains in contemporary use, especially among families honoring Native Hawaiian language and culture. Spelling variants include Kahi‘i (with proper okina), Kahi'i (ASCII apostrophe), and the anglicized Kahii (omitting the okina). Related names built on hi‘i include Hi‘iaka, Hi‘ilani (“cherished by heaven”), and Hi‘ilei (“a cherished child on the chest”). Informal short forms are Kahi or Hi‘i.

⚙ We have no record of Kahi’i in any national birth registry or name dataset. 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.