Kaelani
Kaelani was the 1824th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 110 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 1590th with 132 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,735 places. More babies were named Kaelani in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Kaylani) sea and sky (variant of Kailani) · Hawaiian
- Rank in 2025
- #1,824 girls, down 38 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 110girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2023132 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,315babies recorded
What does the name Kaelani mean?
Kaelani is a spelling of Kaylani, pronounced the same way, so it shares Kaylani's meaning and origin.
Kaylani is an American spelling of Kailani, which Wiktionary derives from Hawaiian kai, 'sea', and lani, 'sky, heaven'. Both words are well documented in Hawaiian; Wiktionary's Hawaiian entry for kai cites the standard Pukui and Elbert dictionary. The spelling with -y- follows the pattern of names like Kaylee and Kayla. Wikipedia has no entry for the given name, while Wiktionary records Kailani as a girl's name from Hawaiian.
kai (Hawaiian, “sea”)lani (Hawaiian, “sky, heaven”)
How sure is this? Probable. Hawaiian elements are clear; the name itself is a modern American form.
Related names: Kailani, Leilani, Kehlani, Lani.
See also: Hawaiian names, names that mean water, names that mean sky, star, moon or sun.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Kailani', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wiktionary, entry 'kai', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wiktionary, entry 'lani', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Kaelani popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,824 | 110 |
| 2020 | #1,786 | 111 |
| 2010 | #6,495 | 20 |
| 2000 | #6,976 | 15 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Kaelani, counting every spelling?
Kaelani is a spelling of Kaylani, a name family that ranked #59 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,824 for Kaelani on its own. Together these spellings went to 4,327 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaylani | 1,675 | #185 | 6,578 |
| Kailani | 1,215 | #253 | 6,168 |
| Keilani | 383 | #727 | 2,096 |
| Kailany | 511 | #581 | 1,404 |
| Keilany | 191 | #1,198 | 722 |
| Kaelani | 110 | #1,824 | 550 |
| Kaylanie | 52 | #3,121 | 295 |
| Kaylanni | 29 | #4,702 | 180 |
| Caylani | 27 | #4,899 | 131 |
| Cailani | 24 | #5,273 | 105 |
| Kaylany | 26 | #5,038 | 92 |
| Kailanni | 10 | #9,761 | 60 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Kaelani?
110 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Kaelani (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Kaelani born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 76 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Kaelani.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Kaelani?
About 1,300 people born in the US named Kaelani are alive today, with a median age of 6; half are between 3 and 12. That makes Kaelani a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Kaelani by state
How common Kaelani was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Florida (1.8×). In 36 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Kaelani: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Kaelani, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Kaelani
What does Kaelani mean?
Kaelani is a spelling of Kaylani, which means “sea and sky (variant of Kailani)” (Hawaiian origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Kaelani?
Kaelani was the 1824th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 110 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 1590th with 132 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,735 places. More babies were named Kaelani in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Kaelani a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Kaelani in the US.
Where is Kaelani most popular?
In 2021–2025, Kaelani was most common in Florida (0.12 per 1,000 girls), followed by Nevada and Arizona.