HONILIMA

northwest, in Kohala

Many people pass through the Big Island and never bother to think what the meaning of the town names in Hawaiian.

Here is a small sampling of a few of the more common place names on the Big Island and their Hawaiian meanings:

Hilo– First night of the Hawaiian moon calendar, new moon
Honoka’a– Rolling Bay
Kailua– Two Ocean Currents
Kilauea-Spewing Volcanic Eruption
Puna– Spring of water
Waimea– Reddish Water