The ukulele was originally called the "braguinha," a small four-stringed instrument from the Portuguese island of Madeira. It was brought to Hawaii in 1879 by Portuguese immigrants, particularly Manuel Nunes, José do Espírito Santo, and Augusto Dias, who were skilled cabinet makers and luthiers
. The name "ukulele" itself is Hawaiian and roughly translates to "jumping flea," possibly referring to the quick movement of the player's fingers on the fretboard. Another theory attributes the name to Edward William Purvis, a small, lively Englishman in King Kalākaua's court, whose nickname was "ukulele" because of his small size and energetic playing style
. In summary, the instrument was originally called the braguinha in Portugal before evolving into the ukulele in Hawaii. The Hawaiian name "ukulele" reflects the instrument's distinctive playing style or possibly a person associated with it.
