Unisex · #5,524 in 2026

Maui

Maui is the second-largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of Maui County's four sizable islands, along with Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, and Kahoʻolawe.

Current Rank
#5,524
Peak Rank
#2,840 (2017)
Total Babies
283
5-Yr Trend
-31%
👧 Girl peak #7,964 (121 total)
👦 Boy peak #2,840 (283 total)
👦As Boy Name
1997
First Year
2026
Last Year
2017
Peak Year
#2840
Peak Rank
283
Total Count
22
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
2004
First Year
2024
Last Year
2020
Peak Year
#7964
Peak Rank
121
Total Count
17
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Maui

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Maui is the second-largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of Maui County's four sizable islands, along with Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, and Kahoʻolawe.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
Native Hawaiian tradition gives the origin of the island's name in the legend of Hawai ʻ iloa , the navigator credited with discovering the Hawaiian Islands . According to that tradition, Hawai ʻ iloa named the island after his son, who in turn was named for the demigod Māui . Maui's previous name was ʻ Ihikapalaumaewa. Maui Island is also called the "Valley Isle" for the large isthmus connecting its northwestern and southeastern volcanic masses.
Origin & history
Main article: History of Maui This section needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( September 2015 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this message ) .mw-parser-output .excerpt-hat .mw-editsection-like{font-style:normal} This section is an excerpt from History of Maui . edit Location within the island chain The island of Maui with a relatively central location has given it a pivotal role in the history of the Hawaiian Islands . The "needle" of ʻ</span>

The Story of Maui

As a girl name

Maui first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2004, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 13 Mauis were born — ranking #7,964 that year. As of 2026, Maui ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 121 Mauis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Maui first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1997, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 42 Mauis were born — ranking #2,840 that year. As of 2026, Maui ranks #5,524 for boys with 17 births, falling sharply (-31%). In total, more than 283 Mauis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Notable people named Maui

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Sil Lai Abrams , writer
  • Luther Aholo (1833– 1888), politician
  • Lydia Kaʻonohiponiponiokalani Aholo (1878– 1979), daughter of Queen Liliʻuokalani
  • Wallace M. Alexander (1869– 1939), businessman
  • Irmgard Farden Aluli (1911– 2001), songwriter
  • Renee Alway , fashion model
  • Samuel C. Armstrong (1839– 1893), Union Army general
  • Chris Berman , ESPN sportscaster

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Maui

Phonetically similar names — useful when Maui is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Maoi
  • Maai
  • Moey
  • Mii
  • Mooi
  • Moua
  • Mooie
  • Muie
  • Maua
  • Naoi
  • Mouch
  • Mouw

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Maui

What does the name Maui mean?
Maui is the second-largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of Maui County's four sizable islands, along with Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, and Kahoʻolawe.
How popular is Maui in 2026?
In 2026, Maui ranks #5,524 among boys' names in the U.S., with 17 babies given the name that year.
When was Maui most popular?
Maui reached its peak popularity in 2017, ranking #2,840 that year with 42 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Maui most popular?
Maui has historically been most popular in California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Maui.
Is Maui a unisex name?
Yes — Maui is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 30% of Mauis assigned female and 70% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Maui?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Maui include Mahad, Holdyn, Korban. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Maui

Maui is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1997 and has accumulated 283 births in the dataset. Maui's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #2,840. Use the chart and map above to compare Maui's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.