Kaiwi

Hawaiian

Etymology

ka (“the”) + iwi (“bone”), symbolic of life and old age.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkai̯.wi/, [ˈkɐj.ʋi], [ˈkɛj.ʋi] (rapid speech)

Proper noun

Kaiwi

1. Kaiwi (a channel between Oahu and Molokai, Hawaii, United States)
2. a male or (sometimes) female given name from Hawaiian
3. a surname

References

• Mary Kawena Pukui - Samuel H. Elbert, Hawaiian Dictionary, University of Hawaii Press 1986
• Hawaii State Archives: Marriage records Kaiwi occurs in 19th century marriage records as the only name (mononym) of 31 women and 66 men.