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Motu Personal Names,

including commonly borrowed names

In the traditional Motu naming system, one's surname is one's father's given name.

Any missing names?  Any additional information?

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Select a name from this menu:

A   B   D   E   G  Ḡ (Q)   H   I   K   L   M   N   O   P   R   S   T   U   V

Key: m = male, f = female, m+f = unisex

A

A

MOTU


Abe

Abigu - f. ('take me')

Agalu - m. 

Aqi (Aḡi) - m (Hanuabada name)

Ahuta - f.
Aiva - f. (Hanuabada name)

Ako - m.

Amini?

Anidika - 

Ao - m. 

Arere - f.

Arua - m+f. ('flow of a river')Asi - f, 'without'

Asi - m (prefix 'without')

Asiani - 

Ato - f ('to place', 'to put')

​

​

BORROWED

Abi - a contraction of the English, 'Albert'
Airi - (Maiva?)

Aisi - - (Maiva?)

Alu - m (Hula/Hura)

Ani - f (from English 'Anne')
Ano?
Areni - (English), m, Alan, Allan, Allen

Araidi - m (Suau)

Agarobe?

Apana (not a Hanuabada name, possibly Aroma or Hura)
Ase?
Asilakwana - m, 'without provisions'?
Asiqau (Asiḡau)?

Atai?

Avia - f. (Kairuku/Maiva name)

B

B

MOTU

Baeau - f,

Badu - m. ('anger')

Baia - f, ('cautious', 'with trepidation')

Bala - m.

Baru - m.

Bau - m. ('bamboo')

Bede - f,

Bele - f,

Bemu - f.

Biga?
Bita - m. ('rat')

Bitu - m. 'to break off', 'to snap' (Porebada name)
Bobola - m. (Porebada name)

Boge - f, 'sea eagle'

Boio - f. 'lost'

Boko - m. (Hohodae name)

Boroma?

Boromu?

Buruka - f, 'old'​

Busina - m. (Porebada name)

​

BORROWED

Bobi (English), m, Bobby

Boni (English), f, Bonnie

Baseau?
Bera?

Bibi?

Biri?
Boe - m. (from English, 'buoy')

Boka?

Bou? (the shell used for making toea - cowry)
Butu ('to weed')

D

D

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Daera - m+f. (meaning = ?)

Dago - m.(meaning = ?)

Dagu - m+f (suffix 'in surprise' eg lolodagu, to scream in surprise)

Dai - m+f ('to soak')

Dairi - m+f ('to wet by pouring over')

Daroa - m. ('to sweep')

Daure - m. ('startled')

Davai - m. (meaning = ?)

Davara - f. ('the sea')

Diari - f. ('the light', 'shine')

Diho - m+f. (to descend')

Dika - f. ('bad')

Dikana - m+f ('spoiled', 'bad', 'rotten') 

Dimere - f. (Porebada)

Dobi - f. (Hanuabada name)

Doqodo (Doḡodo) - m. (meaning = ?)

Dori - (m? f? Porebada name?)

Doriqa (Doriḡa) -m+f  (meaning = ?)

Doura - (m.? meaning = ?)

Douna - m.  (meaning = ?)

​

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Davida - m (English) David

E

E

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Ebore, m (sometimes f in some villages. Tubusereia name?)

Edai - exclusive name of Mr Edai Siabo

Edea - m.? (only child)

Eqahu (Eḡahu) (possibly a Koitabu name, from Hohodae) 

Eno - m. ('lie down to sleep')

Erara - m. ('bled', 'to bleed')

Ere - f. ('voice')

Erue - m+f  (meaning = ?)

Eure - m. (meaning = ?)

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

G

G

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Gaba - 'drum'

Gabe, m+f ('later')

Gabutu

Gaimea?

Gamoga

Ganiga

Garau

Gari

Gaudi?

Gavera - 

Gaveaua?

Gari - 'fear'

Gau?

Gegera?

Geda

Gege - 

Geno? or Qeno?

Geru

Geua

Gini

Girigi

Goada - 'strength'

Goava

Gorohu

Gou

Guba

Gudu

Guru/Quru?

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Ḡ (Q)

Ḡ (Q)

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Qaro

Quria

Qaria? or is it Garia?

Qasia?

Qoro? or is it Goro?

Quru?

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

H

H

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Hairai?

Hale

Hane - 'woman'
Hanua - 'village'

Haoda?

Havata?

Heau

Heaḡi (Heaqi)

Hebou - 'gather', 'a gathering'

Hedaro

Hedu?

Heduru?

Hegame?

Heita?

Hekure

Helai
Henao - 'steal'

Heni - 'give'

Hera?

Herea?

Hereva?

Hetahu?

Hetoa?

Hetura?

Hevaere?

Hevave

Hila

Hitolo - 'hunger'

Hurekau

Hoeke (?Hoeka?)
Homoka

Hore?

Hota?

Hurekau, f (to wash ashore) A name from Tatana Village.
 

​

​

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Hare - m (English) 'Harry'

I

I

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

​

Iamo?

Idau

Iga?

Igo

Igua

Ika

Ikau

Ikupu

Ila?

Ilinome?

Ina?

Irakau

Iru

Isi?

Iva

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

K

K

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

​

Kaema?

Kapena

Kari

Kaia - f, 'knife'

Kala?

Kalo?

Karava?

Kariko?

Karo?

Kaukiri

Kea?

Kedea?

Keke

Keruma - 'cold'

Kerumata
Kevau

Kinivanaqi (Kinivanaḡi)

Kiri
Koani

Kohu

Koi

Koita

Kone

Konio

Kopi

Kora?

Kori

Kua

Kumuku

Kwalimu

Kwarara?

​

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Keni - m (English), Kenny

Kenise - m (English) Genesis (in Manumanu)

L

L

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Labi?

Lahui, m

Lai?

Lala?

Lalokau?

Lebasi?

Leke?

Liriope?

Loa - m, 'to take a trip, journey'

Lohia - m, 'Chief'

Loi?

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Lisi - f (English) Lizzie?

M

M

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Maba

Mabata

Madaha

Mahuru

Mahuta

Mai?

Maino?

Mairi?

Maiva? (Kairuku name?)

Mala

Malo?

Manoka

Manu?

Maraga?

Marava

Mareva

Mase?

Mautaia?

Mavara

Mea - m+f, 'hex'

Meisi

Metue?

Mia

Miria

Moide

Morea - m+f (nickname, 'Moki')

Moi [only Boera?]

Momo?

Momoru

Motu?

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Mareko - m (English) Mark

Materua - (Rarotonga)
Meri - f (English) Mary

Mere -f (English) Mary (in Manumanu)

Mereani - f (English) Maryanne

Mose - m (Hebrew) Moses

N

N

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Naga

Naime

Nanai (nickname - Nana)
Navo

Nao - 'foreign, exotic'

Nebo?

Noga?

Nohokau?

Noinoi - 'request'

Nou

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

O

O

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Oa

Oala

Oape, m

Oda

Oika

Ora?

Ore

Ova

Ovia

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

P

P

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning
Parani

Parua?

Pidi

Podi

Poka?

Pipi?

Pore

Puka

​

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Paruru - f (Maiva or Rarotonga?)

Paulo - m (English) Paul

Pita - m (English) Peter

R

R

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Rabona?

Rabu?

Raera - f

Raga?

Rahe - 

Raho

Raka - f, 'walk'

Rakatani

Rabura?

Ranu - f, 'water'

Ranuinu

Rarua - m, 'two of people'

Rava

Ravini

Rea?

Renaqi (Renaḡi)

Reva

Revo - m+f

Rima

Riva?

Rotona

Ruma

​

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Rei - m (English) Ray

Ruatoka (Rarotonga)

S

S

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Sai?

Sarufa?

Sebea

Sere - m+f

Sereva

Seri - m+f, 'tiara'

Sese

Sevese

Siabo?

Siaka

Simoi?

Sibona

Sinaka

Sisi

Sisia?

​

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Solomona/ Solo - m (Hebrew) 'Solomon'

Saulo - m (Hebrew) 'Saul'

Siosi - m (English) George

T

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Tabakau?

Taboro?

Tahu

Tai - f. ('to cry')

Taiboi, f, ('to cry all night')

Talai?

Taravatu

Tato?

Tatoa?

Tau - m, 'man'

Taunakekei?

Taunao

Tiana?

Toa?

Toka

Tonu?

Torea
Toua - m+f, 'to beat a drum'

Toutu

Tuana?

Tuaru?

Tuene?

Turana?

Tutara

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

Tamarua - (Rarotonga)

Tamasi - (Rarotonga from English) Thomas

Teina - (Rarotonga)

Toni - m (English) Tony

​

U

U

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Uda - 'forest, jungle'

Udu - f, 'mouth'

Ulato?

Ulata?

Ura?

Ure

Uru

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

V

V

MOTU

Name, gender, meaning

Vaburi

Vaqi (Vaḡi) - m+f

Vaqira (Vaḡira)? or Vagira?

Vai - 

Vaieke

Vaitai?

Vani?

Varo

Varoi

Varona?

Vasiri

Vavine?

Vere (var. Vele?)

Viritoga

Virobo - 

BORROWED

Name, gender, source, original name

​

Vaqahu (Vaḡahu), Kido name

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