Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has become a household name. While the quarterback has been in the spotlight since his college days at Alabama, his star power has only increased in recent years. While everyone knows him as Tua, let’s examine his full name and how it is pronounced.
What Is Tua Tagovailoa’s Full Name?
Tua’s full name is actually Tuanigamanuolepola Donny Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa is named after his uncle, who shares the same name.
Tagovaiola is Polynesian and grew up in Hawaii, but he is of Samoan descent, as he explained to PFN’s Dolphins reporter Adam Beasley.
“I’m from Hawaii. I’m not Hawaiian.”
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa educating everybody in question asked by @AdamHBeasley.
(🎥 Miami Dolphins) pic.twitter.com/Y0vwo6kiZQ
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) January 10, 2024
What does Tua’s name mean? His childhood pastor, Rev. Manino Afuola, explained it in an interview.
“The first part of the name is ‘Tu’ … meaning ‘stand.’ ‘Aniga’ means ‘to be echoed.’ And then the last part of the name would be ‘manu ole pola,’ which means [‘morning herald’],” Afuola told CBS 42.
“He is standing out there, making this noise and heralding this joy and praise for our heavenly father.”
How To Pronounce Tagovailoa’s Full Name?
For those wondering how to pronounce Tagovaiola’s full name, who better to hear it from than the man himself?
Since his freshman year in college, many broadcasters struggled with his name. It even stumped NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell when he announced Tua’s selection as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Tagovailoa knows many people struggle to say his name but is happy to speak about it when asked. During a press conference while the Dolphins were in Germany, he was asked how to pronounce his full name. After asking if anyone in the room knew the correct pronunciation — and nobody did — he said that his teammate Mike White knows how to say it. Then, he shared the proper pronunciation:
First name: TOO uh ning uh mah noo oh leh po luh
Last name: Tung o vigh LOH uh