Asian Girl Names

Asian names hold a special significance, often chosen with great care and thought. These names can be based on factors like the day or season of birth or be part of a generational tradition.

They often carry meanings such as “fortune,” “happiness,” and “love,” reflecting the wishes parents have for their newborns.

This article explores some of the most unique and meaningful names for baby girls from Pacific Islander and Asian cultures, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, Polynesian, and Southeast Asian names.

Each name is chosen for its special significance and cultural importance.

Common and Popular Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names

Naomi

Naomi holds a special charm, blending cultures effortlessly.

As a Hebrew name, it means “pleasantness,” while in Japanese, it translates to “straight, direct,” and “beautiful.” Naomi Campbell, the well-known British supermodel, bears this name.

Maya

Maya is a rich name with roots in Indian culture. In Sanskrit, it means “illusion.”

In Hindu mythology, it’s a title for the goddess Durga. In Buddhism, Maya is known as the mother of Buddha. This name is often used in Hindi and Marathi languages.

Leilani

Leilani is a name that evokes the beauty of nature. From Hawaiian roots, it means “heavenly flowers” or “royal child.”

The word lei refers to a garland of flowers, and lani signifies “heaven, sky, royal, majesty.”

Kailani

Combining Hawaiian elements, Kailani means “ocean, sea” (kai) and “sky, heaven” (lani).

Variations like Kaylani and Keilani also make the top list of popular girls’ names.

Kali

Kali, often used in Tamil and Bengali cultures, means “the black one” in Sanskrit. It represents the fierce form of the Hindu goddess Kali, known for her power and destructiveness, who is a form of Shiva’s wife.

Kalani

While similar to Kailani, Kalani has its own unique meaning. Composed of Hawaiian words ka and lani, it stands for “the heavens.”

Mira

Mira is a versatile name found in many Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada.

It translates to “sea, ocean” in Sanskrit. Historically, Mira was a sixteenth-century Indian princess devoted to the Hindu god Krishna.

Mina

Mina is a common name in Hindi, Marathi, and Tamil cultures. It means “fish” in Sanskrit.

Mina is also linked to the Hindu goddess Ushas and the god Kubera’s daughter. The name is sometimes spelled as Meena.

Ila

Ila has significant meaning in Indian culture, translating to “earth” or “speech” in Sanskrit. It’s a simple yet profound name.

Veda

Veda means “knowledge” in Sanskrit and is widely used in Telugu and Kannada languages. It’s a name that reflects wisdom and learning.

Unique and Rare Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names

Amihan

This name comes from Southeast Asia and means “north wind” or “winter storm” in Tagalog. It’s a fitting choice for a girl born during a winter storm.

Bounnhang

Bounnhang is a rare Lao name that can be given to both boys and girls.

Its meanings include “happiness,” “prosperity,” and “goodness.” The name also signifies “remain” or “possess.”

Channary

This unique name means “moon-faced girl” in Khmer. Derived from the words chan (moon) and neari (woman, girl), it carries a celestial charm.

Huang

In Chinese, Huang is a versatile name. For girls, it symbolizes “phoenix,” a legendary bird that can renew itself. It also means “bright” and “shining” for boys.

Inphone

This Laotian name translates to “a blessing from the Hindu goddess Indra.” It captures the sense of being a special gift.

Leimomi

From Hawaiian origins, Leimomi means “pearl child.” It’s a unique name that ties to the ocean, reflecting the rarity and beauty of a pearl.

Lilivati

An Indian name meaning “amusing,” “charming,” and “graceful” in Sanskrit. Lilivati has historical significance, being the name of a mathematical system and a queen.

Ngaio

This Maori name comes from a tree known as the mousehole tree. Ngaio is also the name of a famed New Zealand crime writer, Dame Ngaio Marsh.

Suzume

In Japanese, Suzume means “sparrow.” It’s a rare and adorable name for a little girl.

Yawen

This Chinese name means “elegant,” “graceful,” and “refined,” along with “cloud patterns.” Ideal for a girl who enjoys looking at the shapes in the sky.

Cute Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names

Chō

In Japanese, this girls’ name simply means “butterfly.” Nothing might be more lovely than a butterfly when thinking about a name for a cute girl.

Devika

This Indian girls’ name means “little goddess” in Sanskrit. It’s derived from the name of the Hindu goddess Devi, who is known as the mother goddess in Hinduism.

Iseul

In Korean, this girls’ name means “dew.” It presents a beautiful image, making it a charming choice for a girl’s name.

Kaipo

This Polynesian name means “the sweetheart” from the Hawaiian words ka (the) and ipo (sweetheart).

Kiri

Meaning “skin of a tree” or “fruit,” this name gained popularity from New Zealand opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa.

Lalita

Used in India and Thailand, this name means “playful, charming, desirable” in Sanskrit. It is associated with the goddess Parvati in Hinduism and also one of Krishna’s playmates.

Min

In Korean, this cute girls’ name means “quick, clever, sharp” or “people, citizens” depending on the hanja characters used.

Noi

This gender-neutral name means “small, little” in Thai and Lao.

It’s often used as a childhood nickname but can also be a stand-out given name.

Uma

An Indian name meaning “flax” in Sanskrit, famous actress Uma Thurman bears this name.

Ume

This Japanese name refers to a specific variety of apricot or plum tree. Its blossoms are symbols of spring and are believed to ward off evil.

Ran

This Japanese name means “water lily” or “orchid.” It’s simple yet carries an elegant natural beauty.

Hana

A popular name, Hana means “flower” in Japanese and “grace” in Arabic, bringing in diverse cultural significance.

Mira

In Sanskrit, Mira means “ocean” or “sea.” The name also has a charming simplicity.

An

In Vietnamese, An means “peace” or “safe.” A wonderful name conveying calm and security.

Mei

This Chinese name means “beautiful.” The elegance of its meaning makes it a timeless choice.

Suki

This Japanese name means “beloved” or “loved one.” It’s a sweet and affectionate name for a child.

Leilani

A Hawaiian name meaning “heavenly flowers.” It brings to mind images of beautiful tropical blooms.

Beautiful and Pretty Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names

Botum

In Khmer, this lovely name means “lotus.” The Sanskrit version of the name is Padma, which might remind you of Padma Lakshmi, the Indian American model and TV personality.

Chanhpheng

This Lao name is perfect for a girl born on a night with a full moon, as it means exactly that.

Dipa

A common name in Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Malayalam, and Tamil, Dipa means “light, lamp.”

It can also be spelled Deepa. It’s a name that symbolizes the light your daughter will bring into your life.

Divina

This Filipino name, of Spanish origin, comes from the word divina, which means “divine, godlike.”

Kahurangi

This name comes from a type of green gemstone found in New Zealand and means “sky blue” in Maori.

Kunthea

Meaning “perfume, fragrance” in Khmer, Kunthea can also translate to “virtue, good deed” and “profusion, abundance.”

Melati

Derived from the Sanskrit word for “jasmine flower,” this name is used in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Phousavanh

In Lao, phou means “mountain” and savanh means “heaven, paradise.” It’s a fitting choice for a heaven-sent little girl.

Tiare

If you love fragrant flowers like gardenias, Tiare might be the perfect name, as it means “gardenia flower” in Tahitian.

Yamuna

This name is used in India and among Telugu speakers. Yamuna is the name of a river in India, named after the goddess Yami.

Powerful Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names

Anh

This one-syllable name means “flower, petal, brave, hero,” creating a charming and strong name for girls.

Durga

Named after the Hindu warrior goddess, Durga signifies “unattainable” in Sanskrit. It’s a powerful name found in Hindi, Nepali, and Telugu cultures.

Manaia

This name comes from Maori carvings, representing a mythological creature with a bird’s head and a human’s body.

Moana

Recognizable from a popular Disney film, Moana means “ocean, wide expanse of water, deep sea” in Polynesian languages, symbolizing the power of the Pacific seas.

Phetsamone

In Lao, phet means “diamond” and samone means “war, battle” or “beloved, wife, pretty girl.” It’s a unique choice for a strong little girl.

Rani

A short, elegant Indian name meaning “queen” in Telugu, Hindi, and Marathi. A variant of this name is Rajni.

Sitti

This name is a variant of Siti in Maguindanao and Tausug, as well as Malay and Indonesian. Derived from the Sanskrit sita, meaning “furrow,” Sita is also the name of a Hindu goddess.

Sophea

This Khmer name means “judge, lawyer” and is suitable for both girls and boys, offering a great gender-neutral option.

Tamanna

In Hindi and Bengali, Tamanna translates to “wish, desire.” It signifies a name that brings aspirations to life.

Veasna

A powerful Khmer name of Sanskrit origin meaning “fate, destiny,” expressing an impactful and profound feeling.

Cool Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names

Bounchanh

In Lao, this name means “happiness, prosperity, goodness” from the word boun and “moon” from the word chanh.

Hyeon

Meaning “virtuous, worthy, able” in Korean, this name is often paired with other characters to create compound names like Hyeon-Ju or Hyeon-Jeong. Ju means “jewel, pearl” and Jeong means “virtuous, chaste, loyal.”

Ji-Min

This Korean name can mean “will, purpose, ambition” or “wisdom, intellect” from the word ji combined with “gentle, affable,” “quick, clever, sharp,” or “stone resembling jade” from the word min.

Kamalani

In Hawaiian, this name means either “heavenly child” or “royal child.”

Lestari

In Indonesia, this name means “eternal, abiding.”

Luzviminda

This name blends Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, three main island groups of the Philippines.

Makara

In Khmer, this name means “January,” from the Sanskrit word makara, which refers to the constellation Capricorn.

Mizuki

In Japanese, the word mizu means “felicitous omen, auspicious” and the word ki means “hope.”

Sunita

This Indian name is used in Hindi, Marathi, and Nepali. It means “well conducted, wise” from the Sanskrit prefix su and nita, meaning “conducted, led.” In Hindu legend, this is the name of the daughter of the Bengali king Anga.

Tola

This Khmer name means “October,” from the Sanskrit word tula, referring to the constellation Libra.

Asian and Pacific Islander Girl Names With Specific Meanings

Aria

A lovely name that means “beautiful” in Sanskrit.

Mei

A charming Chinese name which translates to “beautiful.”

Hana

This Japanese name signifies “flower.”

Lei

In Hawaiian, Lei represents “flower.”

Suki

A Japanese name meaning “loved one” or “beloved.”

Ai

A simple yet meaningful name in Japanese, translating to “love.”

Tara

An Indian name meaning “star.”

Hoku

This Hawaiian name stands for “star.”

Yue

The Chinese name Yue stands for “moon.”

Mahina

In Hawaiian, Mahina means “moon” or “moonlight.”

Mina

A name found in both Persian and Indian cultures, meaning “jewel.”