Leilani or Kiana

srhendricks · June 2015

Opinions please! I like the way these Hawaiian names sound, but is it silly to use them if we are not at all Hawaiian? Although Kiana is also the feminine version of irish name Kian, so I guess it is both that and the Hawaiian version of Diana.

bbiutmcph · June 2015

BTN lists Kiana as Haiwain and African American. I find both to be very Haiwain and would think it was odd if there was no heritage there honestly.

g8trkim · June 2015

I like them both. Leilani is especially pretty. I've met several people named Kiana but they were African American. My cousin's daughter is Maleia. I love the name but her grandmother is Hawaiian so it's a nod to her. I don't find either name odd if it's not your heritage.

LizWhiz87 · June 2015

Neither name does it for me, and yes, I might side eye if you had no Hawaiian heritage.

nurse714 · June 2015

Both names are ok and I wouldn't side eye the name no matter what the person's heritage was, but if I met a little blond named Kiana, I might be surprised only because I know a million Kiana's, Quiana's and every other spelling of that name and they were all black. I know a few Leilani's. A red head, a biracial, asian and hawaiian, and a black girl. I like Leilani the best out of the two.

wassuphoes · June 2015

I would find it odd to use very Hawaiian names without any Hawaiian heritage.

....I also think of the South Park episode where Butters is "Hawaiian"

MamaWren919 · June 2015

I don't find it odd. Many people name their children Italian, Irish, etc names when that's not their heritage. I think Leilani is especially beautiful.

jessnjuan07 · June 2015

I wouldn't use a Hawaiian name without any Hawaiian heritage. Leilani is rather beautiful, though.

Elsa1984 · June 2015

My husbands former boss had four littler girls, all with Hawaiian names. Not even their big toe was Hawaiian. Everyone at the company side-eyed it regularly, and "They are wannabe Hawaiians...." comments were the norm around work.

MixedBerries88 · June 2015

I would side eye this but I agree, they are lovely names. I side eyed JWow pretty hard for naming her daughter Meilani. Girl, bye.

srhendricks · June 2015

Thanks for the input everyone! Would the name Aliyah or Aaliyah also get the same reaction?

LNic5 · June 2015

I like Leilani, but would find it a little odd if neither of you were Hawaiian.

Aliyah makes me think of the singer or Teen mom, although she spelt her daughters name Aleeah or something like that...I'm not really sure how I feel about it, I think I lean more towards not a fan.

LizWhiz87 · June 2015

srhendricks said:

Thanks for the input everyone! Would the name Aliyah or Aaliyah also get the same reaction?

I would just think of the singer, who, while wonderful, died a very tragic death. It's a reason I also don't care for the name Selena.

g8trkim · June 2015

I like Aaliyah. It's Arabic and legit. Never seen it spelled Aliyah... looks made up.

valeriemarie24 · June 2015

I like Aaliyah better than the first two options. I've known two little girls born in the past year with the name but I've only seen the Aa spelling

nurse714 · June 2015

I like Aaliyah.

MixedBerries88 · June 2015

I really dislike the name Aaliyah. I get that it's an Arabic name but I usually side eye the parents for the singer association. I much prefer Leilani.

lyss1917 · June 2015

Leilani is a beautiful name I would go with that one

jessnjuan07 · June 2015

Aliyah is my niece's name. My sister wanted Leah but my BIL wanted Aliyah so they named her Aliyah and she goes by both.

I like Aliyah and Leilani. I have also seen Aleah and Alia but I don't think those are legit spellings.

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