Lei

Hawaiian: garland, figuratively a beloved child. Chinese: depends on the character, such as 蕾 “bud” or 磊 “piled stones”.

Lei can belong to two separate naming traditions. In Hawaiian it draws on lei, a garland or wreath; the word can also refer affectionately to a beloved child. A lei need not be made only of flowers: leaves, shells and feathers belong to its range of materials. In Chinese, the written character matters. 蕾 means a flower bud, while 磊 evokes stones piled together. Both are read lěi in Mandarin, with the third-tone mark retained in pinyin. These are examples rather than a complete list of ways to write Lei, and they do not share the Hawaiian etymology. Used for boys and girls, Lei can feel light and spare in Latin letters. Its gentle opening lets the natural imagery take the foreground. Choosing it within a particular family tradition gives those three letters a more specific meaning than their appearance alone can reveal.

Etymology: Separate Hawaiian and Chinese given names share the Latin spelling Lei; their meanings come from different languages.