Waikīkī Street Names: From top to bottom, this page has three parts; a map, a list of the streets with links to their meanings and a list of the streets with their meanings and other information. The map was created completely by this website and does overlap into the right-hand area, so you may have to scroll or widen your browser window. Most of the other information was culled together from three reference books; Hawaiian Street Names, the Pukui / Elbert Hawaiian dictionary and Place Names of Hawaii.

63 Waikīkī Street Names (and Kapiʻolani Boulevard)
Abbreviations Used:
HSN – Hawaiian Street Names. Updated edition. By Budnick and Wise. 2007. Aloha Press.
PE – Hawaiian Dictionary. Revised and expanded edition. By Pukui and Elbert. 1986. University of Hawaii Press.
PNH – Place Names of Hawaii. Revised and expanded edition. By Pukui, Elbert and Mookini. 1976. University of Hawaii Press.

ʻAinakea Way. A20. ‘Ainakea is a variety of sugarcane used in medicine. HSN, PE (page 11), PNH. The PNH entry spells it as ʻĀinakea (with a kahakō), but later as ʻainakea.

Ala Moana Boulevard. F1-C5. Literally, ocean road, HSN. Literally, ocean street, PNH. Ala means road or street and moana means ocean.

Ala Wai Boulevard. E1-A21. Literally, water path or canal, HSN. Literally, freshwater way, PNH. Ala means path or way and wai means water.

Aloha Drive. B11. Literally, love, affection, compassion, mercy. HSN.

Beach Walk. E10. A Hawaiian term for beach is kahakai.

Cartwright Road. D19. Named for Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr., who settled in Honolulu in 1849 and had a house (hale) where Fort DeRussy in now located. In 1953, the United States Congress officially declared him the inventor of the modern game of baseball (kinipōpō). PNH.

Cleghorn Street. B16. Named for A.S. Cleghorn who married Miriam Kapili Likelike (sister of David Kalākaua), Princess Kaʻiulani was their daughter. PNH. Also see, Kapili Street.

Dewey Lane. F4.

Don Ho Street. E11. Named for the famous Hawai‘i entertainer Don Ho.

Duke’s Lane. C13. Named for Duke Kahanamoku, a famous athlete, Olympian, surfer, Honolulu sheriff, film actor and Hawai‘i goodwill ambassador.

ʻEna Road. C4. Named for John ʻEna II (1849-1912), son of Chinese merchant John ʻEna and High Chiefess Kaikilani (Kaikilaniopuna, HSN). Privy Councilor to Queen Liliʻuokalani, memeber of the House of Representatives and cofounder and president of the Inter-Island Steamship Company. HSN, PNH. Meaning of this ʻena not given by HSN or PNH. See ʻena on page 41 of PE.

Helumoa Road. F11. Literally, chicken scratch. Named for an old land division near the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. HSN, PNH. Helumoa is two words; helu (scratch) and moa (chicken).

Hobron Lane. E3-C4. Named for Coit Hobron, a sea captain who settled in Hawaiʻi during the Monarchy (aupuni mō‘ī). PNH.

Holomoana Street. F2. Literally, Seaman, seafarer; to sail on the sea; sea voyage or cruise, HSN, PE. Acording to PE on page 78, holomoana is the same as holokai. Holomoana is two words; holo (to sail) and moana (ocean).

Kaiʻolu Street. A10. Literally, cool ocean. HSN, PNH. Kai‘olu is two words; kai (sea) and ‘olu (cool).

Kaioʻo Drive. E3-D3. Literally, strong sea. HSN, PNH. PE says on page 117 that kaioʻo is a rare version of kai koʻo. Kai means sea and ko‘o means strong.

Kaʻiulani Avenue. D15-A15. Literally, the royal sacred one, HSN. Literally, the royal sacred height, PNH. Named for Princess Kaʻiulani (b. 1875- d. 1899). Ka‘iulani is three words; ka (the or the one), ‘iu (sacred, lofty) and lani (royal).

Kālaimoku Street. A9. HSN spells this without a kahakō and says it is short for Kalanimoku and means the island chief. Named for High Chief Kalanimoku who was Prime Minister to Kamehameha I and Premier to Kaʻahumanu. PNH also says this was named for Kalanimoku, that Kālaimoku is a variant name for Kalanimoku and means island carver. I feel more comfortable with the PNH interpretation. Kālaimoku is two words; kālai (carver) and moku (island).

Kalākaua Avenue. A1-F21. Literally, the day [of] battle. Named for King David Kalākaua. HSN, PNH. Kalākaua is three words; ka (the), lā (day) and kaua (battle).

Kalia Road. E5-F11. HSN says this is named for a native Hawaiian tree. See, kalia 2 (page 123) in PE for the tree meaning. PNH says it means waited for. See, kalia 1 (page 123) in PE for this meaning. PNH and I think the street signs show a kahakō over the first a in spelling.

Kānekapōlei Street. A15. Both HSN and PNH show no meaning for this word. Curiously, HSN shows no kahakō over the letter o in the spelling. Named for the wife of the King of the island of Hawaiʻi, King Kalaniʻōpuʻu, who was ruled during the visit of Captain James Cook.

Kāneloa Road. C19. Literally, tall Kāne. HSN, PNH. Kāne is one of the four major Hawaiian gods. Kāneloa is two words; Kāne (a god) and loa (tall).

Kapahulu Avenue. E20. Literally, the worn-out soil. HSN, PNH. Also see, pahulu 2 in PE, page 301. Kapahulu is two words; ka (the) and pahulu (worn-out soil).

Kapili Street. B17. Literally, the relationship or the grass (see pili 2 in PE, page 329). One of the names of Princess Likelike (1851-1887). HSN, PNP. Kapili is two words; ka (the) and pili (relationship or grass).

Kapiʻolani Boulevard. A1. Literally, the arch [of] heaven, rainbows signified royalty. Named for Queen Kapiʻolani (1834-1899), wife of King David Kalākaua. HSN, PNH. Not a Waikīkī street, but it is on the map. Kapi‘olani is three words; ka (the), pi‘o (arch) and lani (heaven).

Kapuni Street. B17. Literally, the surrounding. HSN, PNH. Perhaps named for the spreading banyan tree on the ʻĀinahau estate of A.S. Cleghorn and his wife, Princess Likelike. PNH. Also see, puni 1 in PE on page 355. Kapuni is two words; ka (the) and puni (surrounded).

Keʻalohilani Avenue. C18. Literally, the royal brightness. Named for the cottage of Queen Liliʻuokalani, which used to be here. HSN, PNH. PNH shows the spelling without the ʻokina and speculates that it should have an ʻokina. Also see, ʻalohi on page 21 in PE. Ke‘alohilani is three word; ke (the), ‘alohi (brightness) and lani (royal).

Keoniana Street. A6. Literally, John Young. HSN, PNH. Transliterated from John Young. Named for John Young II who was kuhina nui (prime minister or premier) under Kamehameha III, Maui governor, Supreme Court Justice and minister of foreign relations under Kamehameha IV.

Koa Avenue. D15. Literally, warrior, HSN. Literally, brave (stative verb), PNH. Named for Prince David Kawānanakoa, older brother of Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole. HSN, PNH.

Kuamoʻo Street. A7. Literally, backbone. Named for Mary Kuamoʻo Kaʻoanaʻeha, wife of John Young. HSN, PNH.

Kūhiō Avenue. C7-D21. Literally, standing diagonally, HSN. Named for Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole. HSN, PNH. Kūhiō is two words; kū (stand) and hiō (diagonally).

Lagoon Drive. F4. This name I got from mapquest.com, but there is a Lagoon Drive by the Airport, so I wonder about this name and how legitimate it is. A Hawaiian term for lagoon is kai kohola.

Launiu Street. A9. Literally, coconut leaf, coconut frond. HSN, PNH. Launiu is two words; lau (leaf or frond) and niu (coconut).

Lauʻula Street. C10, D12. Literally, red leaf. HSN, PNH. Lau‘ula is two words; lau (leaf) and ‘ula (red).

Lemon Road. D19. Named for James Silas Lemon, a Frenchman who came to Hawaiʻi in 1849; he owned the Commercial Hotel and opened the Kaimukī tract. PNH. The Hawaiian word for lemon is lemi.

Lewers Street. A10-F10. Named for Christopher H. Lewers, a merchant who arrived in Hawaiʻi in 1850. According to another account, the street was named for Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lewers who had a residence and hotel (hōkele) at the site of the present Halekūlani Hotel. PNH.

Liliʻuokalani Avenue. A18. PNH says smarting of the high-born one and HSN says smarting pain of the chiefess. Named for Queen Liliʻuokalani. HSN, PNH. Lili‘uokalani is four words; lili‘u (smarting or smarting pain), o (of), ka (the or the one) and lani (high-born or chiefess).

Līpeʻepeʻe Street. C2. Named for some species of edible red seaweed. HSN, PNH. Also see, līpeʻepeʻe on page 208 of PE.

Makee Road. C20. HSN says it is a Hawaiian word spelled Makeʻe which means covetous, greedy, desirous to have; to prize. PNH says it is not a Hawaiian word and is pronounced like Mckee, this road was named for James Makee, a trader, rancher and a captain of whaling ships. For this, I am inclinded to believe PNH more than HSN.

Maluhia Road. E7. HSN say it means peace, quiet, serenity; safety; peaceful, restful. PNH doesnʻt list this road, but it does list another Maluhia as peaceful and I like this interpretation because it is more concise.

Manukai Street. B11. Literally, sea bird. HSN. Manukai is two words; manu (bird) and kai (sea).

McCully Street. A4. Named for Lawrence McCully. He was apppointed associate justice by Kalākaua and opened the Punahou tract subdivision. PNH.

Monsarrat Avenue. F20. Probably named for Marcus Cumming Monsarrat or maybe his son, Judge James Melville Monsarrat. PNH.

Mountain View Drive. A17. I think this is the least impressive Waikīkī street name.

Nāhua Street. A13. Literally, the fruits. HSN, PNH. Named for a Hawaiian chiefess who owned property between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Halekūlani Hotel. PNH. Nāhua is two words; nā (plural form of the) and hua (fruit).

Nāmāhana Street. A7. Literally, the twins. Named for Lydia Piʻia Nāmāhana, a daughter of Keʻeaumoku and the mother of Kaʻahumanu. HSN, PNH. PNH says it was also named for a Maui chiefess named Nāmāhana. Nāmāhana is two word; nā (plural form of the) and māhana (twin).

Nohonani Street. A13. HSN says it means sitting pretty. PNH says it means sitting daintily. A poetic name for Liliʻuokalani used in the song “E Liliʻu e.” PNH. Nohonani is two words; noho (sit) and nani (pretty).

Niu Street. A5. Literally, coconut. HSN, PNH.

ʻŌhua Street. A18. HSN says it means servants. PNH says it means retainers.

ʻOlohana Street. A8. Hawaiian name for John Young. Transliterated from the English phrase “all hands” because as an English sailor and boatswain he would often shout “all hands” to the sailors. He was an adviser and aide to Kamehameha I. HSN, PNH.

Paoa Place. G6. Literally, strongly odoriferous, HSN. Also see, paoa 1 on page 315 of PE.

Paoakalani Street. A19. Literally, the royal purfume. Named for one of the homes of Liliʻuokalani. HSN, PNH. Paoakalani is three words; paoa (purfume), ka (the) and lani (royal).

Pau Street. A6. HSN says it is spelled Paʻū and means moist, damp as a reference to the duck ponds and taro patches (māla kalo) that used to be in Waikīkī. HSN says it also could be Pau for finished because Ala Wai Canal canoe races would end here; however the street pre-dates the canal. PNH says it means finished because canoe race would end here.

Prince Edward. C15. Named for Prince Edward Kaliʻiahonui, brother of David Kawānanakoa and Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole. HSN, PNH.

Pualani Way. B19. HSN says it means royal flower as a descendant of a chief. PNH says it means heavenly flower. Pualani is two words; pua (flower) and lani (royal or heavenly).

Rainbow Drive. F5. The Hawaiian word for rainbow is ānuenue.

Royal Hawaiian Avenue. B11. Named for the Royal Hawaiian Hotel which opened in 1927 and is the second oldest hotel (hōkele) in Waikīkī.

Saratoga Road. D9. Named for Saratoga House, a hotel (hōkele) on Hotel Street in the 1880’s. Saratoga House was located in downtown Honolulu, not Waikīkī. PNH.

Seaside Avenue. A12.

Tusitala Street. B16.

Uluniu Avenue. C16. Literally, coconut grove. HSN, PNH. Uluniu is two words; ulu (grove) and niu (coconut).

Waikolu Way. C12. Literally, three waters. HSN, PNH. Named for the three waters that emptied into Waikīkī before the Ala Wai Canal was built. PNH. Waikolu is two words; wai (water) and kolu (three).

Wai Nani Way. A20. Literally, beautiful water. HSN. Wai means water and nani means beautiful.

Walina Street. A14. Literally, softness. HSN, PNH.

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