Onawa is of Hawaiian origin, meaning "happy". It is composed of two elements: 'ona' meaning "happiness" and 'awa' signifying "peaceful". This name suggests harmony and joyfulness, reflecting the tropical paradise from which it hails. It is a unisex name but has been more commonly used for females in recent years. Onawa has not traditionally been among the most popular names, allowing it to retain a distinctive and unique quality.
"The name Onawa has seen a resurgence recently with five babies named so in 2015, following a gap of over three decades since the last peak of seven births in 1977."