Top 240 Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names and Their Meanings
There’s something so special about a name, especially one that was picked so carefully. Asian names are among some of the most unique in that way since they’re chosen for auspicious reasons, sometimes based on the day or season or as part of a generational custom. Many have simple and special meanings, like “fortune,” “happiness,” and “love”—all the things you’d wish for your newborn baby. We’ve compiled a list of the top Pacific Islander and Asian baby girls’ names including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, Polynesian, and Southeast Asian names.
Common and Popular Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
If you’d like to name your daughter something common, consider one of these popular Asian girl names. These names, mostly of Hawaiian and Indian origin, were among the most common and popular Asian baby names in America for girls in 2021:
1. Naomi. What’s interesting is that Naomi is both a Hebrew biblical baby name meaning “pleasantness” and a Japanese girls’ name meaning “straight, direct” and “beautiful.” It’s the name of British supermodel Naomi Campbell.
2. Maya. This Indian girls’ name (used in the Hindi and Marathi languages) means “illusion” in Sanskrit. In Hinduism it’s an epithet for the goddess Durga. And in Buddhism it’s the name of the Buddha’s mother.
3. Leilani. It means “heavenly flowers” or “royal child” from the Hawaiian words lei (for the garland of flowers) and lani, which means “heaven, sky, royal, majesty.”
4. Kailani. This name derives from the Hawaiian words kai for “ocean, sea” and lani for “sky, heaven.” Variant spellings include Kaylani and Keilani, both of which appear on the top girls’ names list.
5. Kali. This commonly Tamil or Bengal girls’ name means “the black one” in Sanskrit. The Hindu goddess Kali is the destructive form of the wife of Shiva.
6. Kalani. Although this appears to be a variant name of Kailani, it has a slightly different meaning: The Hawaiian words ka and lani mean “the heavens.”
7. Mira. This Indian girls’ name is common in Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada languages. It means “sea, ocean” in Sanskrit. This was the name of a sixteenth-century Indian princess who devoted her entire life to the Hindu god Krishna.
8. Mina. Meaning “fish” in Sanskrit, this Indian girls’ name was also the name of the daughter of the Hindu goddess Ushas and the daughter of the god Kubera. It’s a common girls’ name in the Hindi, Marathi, and Tamil languages. Meena is an alternate spelling.
9. Ila. This Indian girls’ name means “earth” or “speech” in Sanskrit.
10. Veda. This Indian girls’ name, common in the Telugu and Kannada languages, means “knowledge” in Sanskrit.
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Unique and Rare Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
If you’d like to choose a unique baby name, you’ll find plenty of options for your little girl in this selection of Asian female names, some of which are rarely used even in Asia, Southeast Asia, or the Pacific Islands and others that feature unique meanings.
11. Amihan. This Southeast Asian girls’ name means “north wind” or “winter storm” in Tagalog. If your daughter happens to be born in winter during a snowstorm, this may be just the right name!
12. Bounnhang. This rare Lao name, which can be used for boys as well as girls, means “happiness, prosperity, goodness” (boun) and “remain, have, possess” (nhang). Former Laotian president Bounnhang Vorachit is a notable bearer of this name.
13. Channary. This unique Asian girls’ name means “moon-faced girl” from the Khmer word chan meaning “moon” and neari meaning “woman, girl.”
14. Huang. In Chinese, this gender-neutral Asian name can have various meanings, among them “bright, shining, luminous” for boys or “phoenix,” which is the female meaning of the Asian name. The mythical bird is the perfect symbol for your legendary little lady.
15. Inphone. Every child is a blessing, but this unique girls’ name specifically means “a blessing from the Hindu goddess Indra” in Laos.
16. Leimomi. Hawaiian names for girls are often unique and related to the ocean. Since your daughter is rare like a pearl, name her Leimomi, which means “pearl child” in Hawaiian.
17. Lilivati. This rare Indian girls’ name, meaning “amusing, charming, graceful” in Sanskrit, has a nice history. Twelfth-century mathematician Bhaskara named one of his mathematics systems after his daughter Lilavati. A thirteenth-century Sri Lankan queen also bore this name. Your daughter would be among unique company!
18. Ngaio. This Maori name is derived from the name of a type of tree, also called the mousehole tree. The name was borne by New Zealand crime writer Dame Ngaio Marsh.
19. Suzume. This Japanese girls’ name is unique and rarely used, but its cute meaning of “sparrow” will make you want to choose this for your little girl.
20. Yawen. This unique Chinese girls’ name means “elegant, graceful, refined” and “cloud patterns.” Choose this name if you can imagine your daughter staring up into the sky, looking at the different shapes of clouds.
More Unique and Rare Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
Keep the uniqueness going with more rare Pacific Islander and Asian girl names with unique meanings that may just capture your imagination!
Choosing a baby name can be fun yet overwhelming. Watch this video for some exciting facts that could help you find the perfect name for your baby!
Cute Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
A cute baby deserves a cute name—so here’s a list of cute Pacific Islander and Asian girls’ names with such cute meanings as “butterfly,” “little goddess,” “dew,” “sweetheart,” and more.
31. Chō. In Japanese this girls’ name simply means “butterfly.” We don’t know what’s more adorable than a beautiful butterfly!
32. Devika. This cute Indian girls’ name means “little goddess” in Sanskrit. It’s derived from the name of the Hindu goddess Devi, who is considered the mother goddess who manifests as all the other goddesses in Hinduism.
33. Iseul. In Korean this cute girls’ name simply means “dew.” What a pretty image to have before your eyes every time you call your daughter’s name.
34. Kaipo. This Polynesian girls’ name means “the sweetheart” from the Hawaiian word ka, a definite article, and ipo, which means “sweetheart.”
35. Kiri. This name means “skin of a tree” or “fruit.” Kiri became popular after New Zealand opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa rose to prominence.
36. Lalita. You’ll find this name used in India and Thailand. It means “playful, charming, desirable” in Sanskrit. In Hinduism it’s the name for one of the god Krishna’s playmates. It’s also an epithet of the goddess Parvati.
37. Min. In Korean, this short and cute girls’ name means “quick, clever, sharp” or “people, citizens” depending on the hanja (the Korean characters) used.
38. Noi. What could be cuter than this gender-neutral Asian name, which means “small, little” in both Thai and Lao. Noy is a variant spelling. The name is often used as a childhood nickname but why not make it your little one’s given name?
39. Uma. This adorable Indian girls’ name (used in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi languages) simply means “flax” in Sanskrit. Actress Uma Thurman is a famous bearer of this name.
40. Ume. This Japanese girls’ name specifically refers to a Japanese variety of apricot or plum. In Japan the fruit tree’s blossoms symbolize spring and can ward off evil.
More Cute Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
Names with meanings like “candied lotus flower” and rosy clouds” are too good to pass up, so we extended our list of cute Asian and Pacific Islander girls’ names!
Beautiful and Pretty Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
You’ll also find plenty of options for pretty and beautiful Pacific Islander and Asian girls’ names. Many of the following not only sound beautiful but also have meanings that capture something beautiful.
51. Botum. In Khmer this lovely Asian girls’ name means “lotus.” Its Sanskrit counterpart is the name Padma, which you may recognize from the Indian American model and TV personality Padma Lakshmi.
52. Chanhpheng. If your daughter happens to be born on an evening where there’s a full moon, you might like this Lao girls’ name, which means exactly that.
53. Dipa. This Indian girls’ name simply means “light, lamp.” It’s common in the Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Malayalam, and Tamil languages. An alternate spelling is Deepa. Of course, your daughter will bring light into your life.
54. Divina. This Filipino girls' name, Spanish in origin, is derived from the word divina meaning “divine, godlike.”
55. Kahurangi. This name derives from the name of a type of green gemstone found in New Zealand, meaning “sky blue” in Maori.
56. Kunthea. This Asian girls’ name means “perfume, fragrance” in Khmer. It can also mean “virtue, good deed” and “profusion, abundance.”
57. Melati. Deriving from the Sanskrit word for “jasmine flower,” you’ll find this Asian girls’ name used in Malaysia and Indonesia.
58. Phousavanh. In Lao, phou means “mountain” and savanh means “heaven, paradise.” It’s the perfect choice for your heaven-sent angel!
59. Tiare. If you love fragrant flowers like gardenias, you might choose this Tahitian name for your little girl, since Tiare means “gardenia flower.”
60. Yamuna. This Indian and Telugu girls’ name is the name of a river in India that gets its name from the goddess Yami.
More Beautiful and Pretty Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
Haven’t had enough beautiful and pretty Asian or Pacific Islander girls’ names? We can’t blame you! Here are some more:
Powerful Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
If you want a name for your daughter that’s imbued with pride and power, choose one of these Asian or Pacific Islander girls’ names, which evoke these feelings with their mighty meanings.
71. Anh. This one-syllable girls’ name means “flower, petal, brave, hero,” making it a pretty and powerful Asian name for both boys and girls.
72. Durga. If you’re looking for an Asian girls’ name that means warrior, look no further. Durga is the name of the Hindu warrior goddess. The Indian name itself means “unattainable” in Sanskrit. It’s used in the Hindi, Nepali, and Telugu languages.
73. Manaia. This name derives from the name of a stylized design common in Maori carvings. It represents a mythological creature with the head of a bird and the body of a human.
74. Moana. You’ll probably recognize this name from the Disney animated film of the same name. In the Polynesian languages, this girls’ name means “ocean, wide expanse of water, deep sea.” The definition connotes the power of the Pacific seas.
75. Phetsamone. In Lao, phet means “diamond” and samone means “war, battle” or “beloved, wife, pretty girl.” It would be a pretty choice for your warrior little girl!
76. Rani. This pretty, short, and cute Indian girls’ name of Sanskrit origin simply means “queen” in the Telugu, Hindi, and Marathi languages. Another variant of the name could be Rajni.
77. Sitti. This is the Maguindanao and Tausug form of Siti, as well as a Malay and Indonesian variant. The name derives from the Sanskrit word sita, which means “furrow.” Sita is also the name of the Hindu goddess of the harvest. In the Hindu epic the Ramayana, Sita is rescued by her husband, Rama, from the demon king Ravana.
78. Sophea. Your daughter doesn’t have to grow up to be a judge or a lawyer to have this powerful Khmer name, which means “judge, lawyer.” The name is also used for boys, making it a good gender-neutral naming option.
79. Tamanna. In Hindi and Bengali, this Indian girls’ name means “wish, desire.” We’re sure your little one will fulfill all her wishes and desires in life.
80. Veasna. In Khmer, this powerful Asian girls’ name of Sanskrit origin means “fate, destiny.” What’s more powerful than that?
More Powerful Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
There’s no shortage of powerful Pacific Islander and Asian girls’ names for you to choose from, so here are some more:
Cool Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
Looking to evoke the cool factor in your daughter’s name? The following Pacific Islander and Asian girls’ names not only sound cool, but also have cool meanings.
91. Bounchanh. In Lao this gender-neutral Asian name means “happiness, prosperity, goodness” from the word boun and “moon” from the word chanh.
92. Hyeon. Meaning “virtuous, worthy, able” in Korean, this girls’ name is often paired with other hanja to create compound names like Hyeon-Ju or Hyeon-Jeong, both of which alter the meaning slightly. Ju means “jewel, pearl” and Jeong means “virtuous, chaste, loyal.”
93. Ji-Min. This Korean girls’ name can mean “will, purpose, ambition” or “wisdom, intellect” from the word ji combined with “gentle, affable” or “quick, clever, sharp” or “stone resembling jade” from the word min.
94. Kamalani. This Hawaiian girls’ name means either “heavenly child” or “royal child.” Either meaning is perfect for a daughter you intend to spoil!
95. Lestari. In Indonesia, this girls’ name means “eternal, abiding.”
96. Luzviminda. This name blends Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, which are the names of the three main island groups of the Philippines.
97. Makara. This name simply means “January” in Khmer, from the Sanskrit word makara, which refers to the constellation Capricorn. Choose this name if your daughter is born under that astrological sign.
98. Mizuki. In Japanese the word mizu means “felicitous omen, auspicious” and the word ki means “hope,” forming this very cool and beautiful girls’ name.
99. Sunita. This Indian girls’ name is used in Hindi, Marathi, and Nepali. It means “well conducted, wise” from the Sanskrit prefix su combined with nita meaning “conducted, led” In Hindu legend this is the name of the daughter of the Bengali king Anga.
100. Tola. This Khmer name means “October,” from the Sanskrit word tula, referring to the constellation Libra. Choose this name if your baby is born under the sign of the scales.
More Cool Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names
Let’s keep the coolness going with even more cool Pacific Islander and Asian girls’ names with cool meanings you won’t soon forget.
Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names With Specific Meanings
If you’re looking for a Pacific Islander or Asian girls’ name that has a specific meaning, like “beautiful,” “star,” or “flower,” then consider the following names.
Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names Meaning “Beautiful”
Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names Meaning “Flower”
Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names Meaning “Diamond,” “Jewel,” and “Gem”
Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names Meaning “Star”
Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names Meaning “Moon” and “Moonlight”
Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names Meaning “Love” and “Beloved
Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names Meaning “Luck,” “Wealth,” and “Fortune
Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names Meaning “Joy” and “Happiness”
60 More Asian and Pacific Islander Names for Girls
Pacific Islander and Asian female names offer nearly endless variety. Check out these options for even more inspiration!
The Bottom Line
In Asian cultures, parents often choose their baby’s name based on the meaning. Sometimes the meanings can be quite simple (for example “flower,” “moon,” or “star”), while other meanings are more complex and visual (like “heavenly mist”) or almost audible (like “the tinkling of jade”). The options for unique, cute, pretty, and beautiful Asian girls’ names are nearly endless.
Whether you prefer baby girl names that are more common or ones that are rare and unique, you'll find that our list is full of great ideas to help you choose the perfect name for your daughter.
We hope you have the baby-naming inspiration you need! As you consider your choices, don’t forget to stock up on all those baby essentials. And with the Pampers Club app, you get rewarded for all your future diaper and wipes purchases.