Makena is a name from the Kikuyu and Meru languages of Kenya, where it means "happy one" or "the one who brings joy"; it is also the name of a beach area on the Hawaiian island of Maui. American parents often spell it Makenna, which blends it with McKenna. Makena entered the US top 1000 in 2002 and peaked at number 718 in 2005, but it has declined since and ranks number 2740 in 2025.