Corey Grant Welcomes Daughter Qiawna

Corey Grant, a 31-year-old wide receiver in the Canadian Football League, and wife Jennifer welcomed their first child together August 9, a daughter they’ve named Qiawna. The name — which has Hawaiian origins and means "God’s gracious gift," according to Corey — has special meaning for the couple.

My wife wanted to go to Hawaii but since I couldn’t take her, we decided to give our daughter a Hawaiian name.

Fatherhood is "the greatest feeling," Corey says — but it’s also a state of being that took some time to sink in. "The weirdest part was when my dad called me dad," Corey says, "that’s when I really thought that I was a dad now." Although he has since returned to his team after a bye week and three-day leave, Corey’s thoughts aren’t far from his wife and child.

It has been awesome. I was enjoying every minute, changing every diaper, hearing every single cry and enjoying being with her…To actually see my daughter born and what my wife had to go through to have her, made it harder to leave.

Sources: The Leader Post, Star Phoenix

Comments

There is no Q in the Hawaiian language, and there are no double consonants. This baby’s name is NOT Hawaiian. Please do your reasearch before naming your baby. It can result in an insult to the natives.

- Motherless Hula Girl on August 23rd, 2008

Congratulations I wonder how they pronounce the name, it’s cute and has a unique spelling.

Being of Latin American and Slavic ancestry I’ve heard many names that are believed to be either Mayan,Nahuatl,Spanish or Russian that simply are not. It’s an honest mistake for lack of research.

If anything I think it can result on embarassment for the child.I once met a little girl whose parents wanted to give her an Arabic name but were not careful enough and instead of naming her Wafa they caller her Watfa (to me is sounds like WTF).In another occassion I had a student whose name was Nasty (I kid you not!).Her parents were not English speakers at the time of her birth and thought the name was cool until they learned what it means.

- eva on August 23rd, 2008

Maybe it’s a French spelling of a Hawaiian name? My name, Maya, comes from the Mayan Indians but different spellings of it are claimed by a variety of countries and cultures so who knows where the name really came from? Depending on the website, book, or person I talk with the name is Greek, Indian (from India), Israeli, or of a Latino origin. *Shrug*

Looks like a pretty name, wherever it’s from.

- MB on August 23rd, 2008

Qiawna means a breeze over mountains or something like that. It is the female version of Keanu in a English spelling (Keana). The name did come from Hawaii, and they adjusted it to their language. Maybe you may want to do your research as well

- molly on August 23rd, 2008

I am also Hawaiian and Motherless is correct about the Q and double consonants thing.

Keanu is a Hawaiian name. It means “the cold, or cool”. There is no female version of that name. There can be males and females named Keanu. Keana is the Hawaiianized version of Diana. But it has no distinct meaning in Hawaiian other than “Diana”. I just think it’ll be embarrassing when little “Qiawna” comes to Hawaii proudly bragging that she’s got a Hawaiian name. I think they should just say they gave her a name with Hawaiian origins rather than say it’s a Hawaiian name.

- Hawaii girl on August 23rd, 2008

Hawaii girl, that is what they said. That’s exactly what the article says. “The name — which has Hawaiian origins and means “God’s gracious gift,” according to Corey — has special meaning for the couple.” It’s never been claimed that it’s strictly a Hawaiian name, all they said is that it has Hawaiian origins and since Hawaii has a lot of Asian ancestry (According to Wikipedia Japanese, Polynesian, and Filipino make up 16.7, 16, and 14 percent of the heritage respectively) that could have something to do with why the name doesn’t appear to have any “Hawaiian” influence to it at all.

- Cait on August 23rd, 2008

Wow, the nerve of some people! This is a place for good, positive comments not where you should come and air out your frustrations over ((a)) name, not ((your)) name.

These people named their daughter a name they liked and switched up the lettering in a way that they were satisfied with, maybe to add some indivuality to the name. Why don’t you congratulate the new parents and keep it moving!

- Meeyah on August 23rd, 2008

Motherless..YOU GO GIRL! Way to stick up for your roots. Hawaii girl, you too! Hawaii is strong in their beliefs of naming a child, then saying it originated from Hawaii.

Maybe more cultures and backgrounds should follow suit. When I look at the name it looks like it should be pronounced ‘Kiana’, but he spelt it Qiawna. That’s fine and dandy, but don’t claim something that cannot be backed. Thats all.

- Yessah! on August 23rd, 2008

Cait, That’s what I thought at first but I think it’s CBB that said “hawaiian origins” while Corey called it “a hawaiian name”.

- AshM on August 23rd, 2008

wow preschoolers are going to have fun with this in a few years time.if they wanted hawaiian,maybe leilani or something might have been easier. congrats to them anyways.

- ang on August 23rd, 2008

Lighten up! Maybe (as Cait alluded to) the name is Hawaiian in origin…as in Hawaii the state not the culture. Maybe they changed the spelling. Maybe the name reminds them of Hawaii. Who knows? Whatever the case, if the name has special meaning to them that’s all that matters IMO.

The bottom line is that a healthy baby was born to first-time parents who are obviously over the moon. Congratulations to the Grants and welcome to the world, Qiawna!

- chris on August 24th, 2008

Wow. Picky people! I’m not Hawaiian but if I was I think I’d be honored they had looked to my culture for inspiration.

- brannon on August 24th, 2008

I was raised in Hawaii (but not Hawaiian) and naming a newborn is a sacred event. The elders in your family are involved in naming the baby at birth after meeting the him/her. If I’m not mistaken, the name comes to the elders in a dream. The name is a vital part of their mana (spirit) and the name chosen is considered chosing a part of the childs destiny.

There are deep thoughts and traditions to naming a child. I feel that if you are naming you child a name from a different culture, it’s your duty to do the research. Many Hawaiians I know are not honored by it because people don’t understand how sacred the event is.

- Niki on August 24th, 2008

I don’t think anyone is being “picky.” If you are from a particular culture, then you can offer information directly from being a member of that culture. In this case, those that actually are Hawaiian would know better.

It’s just a general comment that if you want to name your child because you are inspired by another culture…GO for IT. It is after all your child. But, at least, do a little research about the name you pick.

They can name their baby whatever they want. But it is disrespectful to something is this when it obviously is not. It leads to misconceptions & stereotypes.

- Lisa on August 24th, 2008

Well I feel bad for them if they *did* do their research and it just came out to be wrong. For instance, there are websites where you can pick the name origin you want and then names come up and perhaps that’s what they did. A few sites could corroborate the name origin and be totally wrong. But, what’s to say those are right? That’s what I was trying to illustrate with my previous comment. People do the best they can with the information they have. I can certainly see how it would be offensive if the origin was gotten wrong, as it has been here, but I still feel for the parents. They certainly weren’t trying to offend and I’m sure they did the best research they thought was necessary. I’m not sure it’s fair to assume they didn’t do any.

- MB on August 24th, 2008

All I can say is, if the meaning is correct, irrespective of the origin, than it has the same meaning as my sister’s name Sian, (which I have researched extensively) which is Irish/Gaelic from what I have discovered. I believe the book I read this in was called ‘Australian and New Zealand baby names’ but as I collect baby name books, I have discovered that depending on the writer’s intepretation names can have various meanings and origins. My own name, Tara, exists in about six or seven different languages with various different meanings.

Just a thought.

- Ratty on August 24th, 2008

Cait and Meeyah, being Hawaiian, born and raised in Hawaii, I am accustomed to know how the naming process of Hawaiian names go. Corey said “..we decided to give her a Hawaiian name.”

So in my previous comment I noted that in order to claim a name to be Hawaiian, you cannot have Q in it, and there are no double vowels. Do the Hawaiian Language research.

Don’t claim to have a Hawaiian name, with no truth to the base of it. Qiawna is NOT Hawaiian by any means. That’s all.

- Motherless Hula Girl on August 25th, 2008

Cait and Meeyah, being Hawaiian, born and raised in Hawaii, I am accustomed to know how the naming process of Hawaiian names go. Corey said “..we decided to give her a Hawaiian name.”

So in my previous comment I noted that in order to claim a name to be Hawaiian, you cannot have Q in it, and there are no double vowels. Do the Hawaiian Language research.

Don’t claim to have a Hawaiian name, with no truth to the base of it. Qiawna is NOT Hawaiian by any means. That’s all.

- Motherless Hula Girl on August 25th, 2008

Cait and Meeyah, being Hawaiian, born and raised in Hawaii, I am accustomed to know how the naming process of Hawaiian names go. Corey said “..we decided to give her a Hawaiian name.”

So in my previous comment I noted that in order to claim a name to be Hawaiian, you cannot have Q in it, and there are no double vowels. Do the Hawaiian Language research.

Don’t claim to have a Hawaiian name, with no truth to the base of it. Qiawna is NOT Hawaiian by any means. That’s all.

- Motherless Hula Girl on August 25th, 2008

That was supposed to say no double consonants.

- Motherless Hula Girl on August 25th, 2008

I was born and raised in Hawaii and am part Native Hawaiian. I think they name their daughter a beautiful name, however, I think he should not have said that the name is Hawaiian. As motherless stated, the Hawaiian language does not have the letter “Q”. In his words “my wife wanted to go to Hawaii and since I couldn’t take her, we gave our daughter a Hawaiian name.” Keona (f) or Keoni (m) translates too “Gods Gracious Gift”. So not only did he not give his daughter a “Hawaiian Name” he is stating the incorrect deffinition. A local comic said that people love Hawaii so much that with out thinking they name their children after places they have been in Hawaii. Corey is not the first and I am sure he will not be the last to do so.
Our culture is what we have left from days gone by. So yes, some of us do get deffensive when people take it, spin it and try too make it as if they know a culture they were not born into or even researched before doing something as significant as naming a child. I think it is unfortunate that little Qiawna will grow up thinking her beautiful name is Hawaiian and means Gods Gracious Gift, when in all actuality it is neither. Sad to say but I don’t think a lot of research was done before they named her and started telling people her name is Hawaiian. It’s a serious thing in our culture when a child is given a Hawaiian name. I beleive it was Motherless who said that, the elders are involved as well as sometimes a dream. I’m not attacking anyone by no means. Just trying to educate.

- Kaimana on August 25th, 2008

I love how I’m being attacked for my comment and being told that I didn’t do my research when my comment wasn’t even directed at you, Motherless Hula Girl.

First of all, I never claimed that they gave their child a Hawaiian name or not. All I simply said was that since the state of Hawaii itself has a very diverse culture, including lots of Asian ancestry (which is what I cited in my original comment) and that perhaps that is why there is this controversy. What I alluded to, and I’m sorry you didn’t read between the lines to figure this out as others did, was that perhaps they thought the name was Hawaiian when it in fact is of Asian ancestry. Just because the Hawaiian alphabet does not have a Q and double consonants in it does not mean another language that has influence in Hawaii doesn’t have those things. Again, I never CLAIMED that they did or did not give their daughter a Hawaiian name. All I said was that Hawaii is culturally diverse and perhaps that is where all of this confusion comes in. Again, my apologies for not spelling everything out and hoping, as others did, that people would be able to read between the lines and see what I was saying.

I find it quite ridiculous that people are getting so up in arms about the name of a child they will never meet and will never have any association with. I’m sure that Corey and his wife did not mean any disrespect in choosing their child’s name and I think it is sickening that you feel the need to attack them and others over it. I understand that naming a child is a big thing in the Hawaiian culture, however, there is a difference between the Hawaiian culture and being Hawaiian as in pertaining to the state itself.

- Cait on August 25th, 2008

I don’t quite understand the comment about “there is a difference between the Hawaiian culture and being Hawaiian as in pertaining to the state itself.” How do you separate the two?

I think that the disparity of the argument is these two people are making a claim upon a culture in which then have no background in.

I don’t think anyone is attacking anyone except Cait. After all, the point being made is to do a little research about the origins of the name you pick. It is not just the Hawaiian culture that would find it disrespectful of taking bits of the culture & putting twist on it. The naming of a child is important in every culture/ethnic group. While it is lovely to be inspired by other cultures…the bottom line is if you are taking a name from another culture you should know what it really means & if it is indeed from the culture in question.

- Rosie on August 25th, 2008

If the origins are from the Japanese, Filipino or Polynesian cultures…then it isn’t Hawaiian. The name is either Japanese, Filipino or Polynesian.

- Rosie on August 25th, 2008

I DID NOT ATTACK HIS CHOICE OF NAME. I stated the facts of the Hawaiian cutlure in the naming sake.

You too Cait, did not read well.

I get your point after re-reading your statement, but seriously people.

Do the research. Don’t claim something that has no truth or base to it.

- MOTHERLESS HULA GIRL on August 25th, 2008

Motherless, I never said YOU attacked the name specifically. I said people. There were plenty of other people on this post that had issues too. I did not single you out there, so your capitalized sentence was uncalled for, considering I wasn’t speaking to you. I was making a general statement.

As far as I know, from what I have learned in school, the Hawaiian culture is something special and it’s basically a way of life. Ideals and that sort of thing. I am sure that there are people who live in Hawaii that do not live the same way as those who are deeply rooted in the Hawaiian culture. It’s like saying that something is Irish. There is a culture, a way of life over there but something may not pertain to the Irish culture, it may simply pertain to the country as a whole. That is what I meant.

And further more, I am not attacking anyone. Yes, I find it ridiculous that people get so outraged over names (just go look at Zuma’s birth post!) but I am not attacking anyone. If you want to concern yourself with what other people name their children, that’s fine.

When I first commented to this post, all I was saying was that Hawaii has several cultures that are influential to it and perhaps that is where the confusion came in. I was simply stating that I never once claimed that it was or was not a Hawaiian name. Like I realized after reading another commenter’s comment, the part of the article that I had originally quoted in my comment was something that the CBB staff most likely said themselves. I read it wrong and I thought it was something Corey had said. Tis is what mature, responsible adults do when they make a mistake. I quoted something wrong and I realize now that it was not his own quote.

For all we know, they did do research. Like people have said on other posts here, there are names that depending on what site you look at, the name can have several different meanings and origins. I get the whole point of those letters and combinations not being in the Hawaiian alphabet, but unless you know the alphabet, you could come across a name on a site, be told that it is of Hawaiian ancestry and assume it to be true. Again, yes, assuming is a bad thing, but if that is the knowledge you have, you wouldn’t know that you weren’t speaking fact.

- Cait on August 26th, 2008