Kaelani
From Hawaiian kaʻe (“edge”) + lani (“sky”), or a modern variant of Kailani.
Every Kaelani since 1988 — 1,315 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kaelani
Kaelani is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,824 in 2025 with 110 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1988, 1,315 American babies have been named Kaelani. Its peak came in 2023, when 132 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kaelani stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kaelani year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 110 | #1,824 |
| 2024 | 113 | #1,784 |
| 2023 | 132 | #1,590 |
| 2022 | 109 | #1,860 |
| 2021 | 86 | #2,178 |
| 2020 | 111 | #1,786 |
| 2019 | 92 | #2,061 |
| 2018 | 61 | #2,799 |
| 2017 | 59 | #2,853 |
| 2016 | 62 | #2,781 |
| 2015 | 44 | #3,559 |
| 2014 | 26 | #5,223 |
| 2013 | 32 | #4,482 |
| 2012 | 29 | #4,897 |
| 2011 | 32 | #4,506 |
| 2010 | 20 | #6,495 |
| 2009 | 19 | #6,930 |
| 2008 | 23 | #6,029 |
| 2007 | 25 | #5,606 |
| 2006 | 10 | #10,993 |
| 2005 | 13 | #8,575 |
| 2004 | 19 | #6,349 |
| 2003 | 8 | #11,830 |
| 2002 | 13 | #8,039 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9,710 |
| 2000 | 15 | #6,976 |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kaelani mean?
From Hawaiian kaʻe (“edge”) + lani (“sky”), or a modern variant of Kailani.
How popular is the name Kaelani in 2025?
Kaelani ranked #1,824 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 110 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kaelani?
1,315 babies have been named Kaelani in the United States since 1988, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kaelani most popular?
Kaelani peaked in 2023, when 132 newborns received the name.
Is Kaelani a boy or girl name?
Kaelani is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kaelani rising or falling?
Kaelani is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.