Favored first names in isles, nation same, but not middle ones

Each year, the list of top baby names in Hawaii mirrors the Social Security Administration’s national list.

But state registrar Alvin Onaka says keiki-naming in the islands still represents the state’s rich cultural diversity. It just isn’t apparent in babies’ first names.

"It’s not surprising that the top 10 names of boys and girls born in Hawaii is similar to the continental states," said Onaka, who oversees the state’s birth certificates. "Hawaii is part of the U.S., so we can assume that we would be similar to the others. However … I think Hawaii is unique in a sense that even though our first names tend to be similar, we reflect our culture in our middle names."

According to 2011 U.S. Census Bureau data, nearly 23 percent of Hawaii residents identify with two or more racial backgrounds, compared with 2.3 percent of residents nationally. Ten percent identified with being Native Hawaiian or a Pacific Islander.

"The (Hawaiian) language is an oral language so they convey their oral history via, say, a name," Onaka said.

The most popular Hawaiian middle names given to boys born in 2012 to one or both parents of Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry include Kaimana, Ikaika, Kalani, Kamuela and Kekoa, according to a list Onaka compiled for the Star-Advertiser. For girls, Kealohilani, Mahealani, Kaiulani, Lokelani and Noelani topped the list.

There are still some deviations in Hawaii’s list of most popular first names.

The name Elijah, for example, which creeped out of triple-digit popularity on a national scale in 1995 and has climbed steadily to being No. 13 the past two years, has appeared in Hawaii’s top 10 since 2001 and reached its height of popularity at No. 3 in 2011 and 2010. It was No. 4 last year.

William, on the other hand, has been ranked No. 11 or higher nationally since 2000 but didn’t once break the Top 10 in Hawaii in the same time period.

For girls, the name Lily appeared in Hawaii’s top 10 in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012 but has never moved into the top 10 nationally.

Chloe has appeared in Hawaii’s top 10 since 2007 — reaching its peak at No. 1 in 2008 — but only first cracked the top 20 nationally in 2004 at No. 19 and has climbed steadily to its highest spot at No. 9 in 2009.