Kailani
From Hawaiian Kailani, from kai (“sea”) + lani (“sky”).
Every Kailani since 1980 — 12,823 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kailani
Kailani is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #253 in 2025 with 1,215 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1980, 12,823 American babies have been named Kailani. Its peak came in 2022, when 1,358 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 Kailani stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kailani year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,215 | #253 | — | — |
| 2024 | 1,144 | #276 | — | — |
| 2023 | 1,320 | #226 | 8 | #9,340 |
| 2022 | 1,350 | #222 | 8 | #9,413 |
| 2021 | 1,139 | #278 | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,133 | #282 | 5 | #13,051 |
| 2019 | 903 | #350 | 7 | #10,277 |
| 2018 | 795 | #390 | — | — |
| 2017 | 486 | #617 | — | — |
| 2016 | 379 | #753 | — | — |
| 2015 | 317 | #878 | — | — |
| 2014 | 271 | #985 | 6 | #11,413 |
| 2013 | 261 | #966 | — | — |
| 2012 | 250 | #1,013 | — | — |
| 2011 | 218 | #1,123 | — | — |
| 2010 | 187 | #1,276 | — | — |
| 2009 | 165 | #1,421 | 6 | #11,706 |
| 2008 | 179 | #1,357 | — | — |
| 2007 | 152 | #1,520 | 5 | #13,377 |
| 2006 | 144 | #1,524 | — | — |
| 2005 | 123 | #1,635 | — | — |
| 2004 | 128 | #1,551 | — | — |
| 2003 | 86 | #2,076 | — | — |
| 2002 | 64 | #2,480 | — | — |
| 2001 | 53 | #2,791 | — | — |
| 2000 | 53 | #2,756 | — | — |
| 1995 | 21 | #4,757 | — | — |
| 1990 | 11 | #7,557 | — | — |
| 1985 | 6 | #9,867 | — | — |
| 1980 | 8 | #7,721 | — | — |
| 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 Kailani mean?
From Hawaiian Kailani, from kai (“sea”) + lani (“sky”).
How popular is the name Kailani in 2025?
Kailani ranked #253 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,215 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kailani?
12,823 babies have been named Kailani in the United States since 1980, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kailani most popular?
Kailani peaked in 2022, when 1,358 newborns received the name.
Is Kailani a boy or girl name?
Kailani is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kailani rising or falling?
Kailani is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.