<P> The ukulele (/ juː kəˈleɪliː / yoo - kə - LAY - lee, from Hawaiian: ʻukulele (ˈʔukuˈlɛlɛ) (oo - koo - leh - leh); variant: ukelele,) is a member of the lute family of instruments; it generally employs four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings . Some strings may be paired in courses, giving the instrument a total of six or eight strings . </P> <P> The ukulele originated in the 19th century as a Hawaiian adaptation of the Portuguese machete, a small guitar - like instrument, which was introduced to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants, mainly from Madeira and the Azores . It gained great popularity elsewhere in the United States during the early 20th century and from there spread internationally . </P> <P> The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and construction . Ukuleles commonly come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone . </P> <P> The ukulele is commonly associated with music from Hawaii where the name roughly translates as "jumping flea", perhaps because of the movement of the player's fingers . Legend attributes it to the nickname of the Englishman Edward William Purvis, one of King Kalākaua's officers, because of his small size, fidgety manner, and playing expertise . However, usage of the term can be traced back to 1810, prior to Purvis' birth According to Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last Hawaiian monarch, the name means "the gift that came here", from the Hawaiian words uku (gift or reward) and lele (to come). </P>

Who was the first person to play the ukulele