Girl name · Hawaiian
Kailani
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: sea and skyKailani is a girl's name that comes from Hawaiian and means "sea and sky". It is used in Hawaiian.
- Meaning
- Sea and sky
- Origin
- Hawaiian
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- kye-LAH-nee
Meaning and origin of Kailani
As a girl's name, Kailani comes from Hawaiian and means "sea and sky". It is used in Hawaiian.
Say it kye-LAH-nee. Say it kai-LAH-nee. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Its meaning puts Kailani on our names that mean water or sea list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Kailani on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Kailani on 4 lists.
“Sea and sky; Hawaiian. Say kye-LAH-nee”
From Angelic names, hawaiian heavenly names
“Sea and sky; kai plus lani. Say kye-LAH-nee”
From Hawaiian names, female Hawaiian names for girls
“Sea and sky; Hawaiian. Say kye-LAH-nee”
From Nature names, sky, dawn and season names
“Sea and sky; Hawaiian. Say kai-LAH-nee”
From Ocean names, ocean names for girls
How popular is Kailani?
- US rank in 2025
- #253
- 1,215 babies, 756 per million girls
- Best rank
- #222 in 2022
- 1,350 babies that year
- Babies since 1980
- At least 12,778
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 3 per million |
| 1990s | 11 per million |
| 2000s | 62 per million |
| 2010s | 232 per million |
| 2020s | 750 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #753 | #617 | #390 | #350 | #282 | #278 | #222 | #226 | #276 | #253 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Kailani
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
Names spelled like Kailani
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- KaʻiulaniThe royal sacred one (Hawaiian, girl)
- KalaniThe sky, the heavens (Hawaiian, unisex)
- KeilaniGlorious heaven (Hawaiian, girl)
- KaimanaA diamond (Hawaiian, unisex)
- KalanitAnemone (Hebrew, girl)
- KamalaniHeavenly child, royal child (Hawaiian, unisex)
- KananiThe beauty (Hawaiian, girl)
- KanmaniPupil of the eye, darling (Tamil, girl)
- KaulanaFamous, renowned (Hawaiian, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- MarinaOf the sea (Latin, girl)
- CelesteHeavenly, of the sky (Latin, girl)
- MurielBright sea (Scottish Gaelic, girl)
- MiraPeace, from Slavic Mir- names; in Sanskrit, sea (Slavic, girl)
- CoralReef stone of the sea (Greek, girl)
- DaryaHolding firm the good; also sea in Persian (Persian, girl)
- FalakCelestial sphere, sky (Arabic, unisex)
- KaiThe sea (Hawaiian, unisex)
- MarinoOf the sea (Latin, boy)
- MaristelaStar of the sea (Latin, girl)
Middle names for Kailani
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Hawaiian
- AilaniPossibly from Hawaiian ʻAilani, to rule as chief, or Aylín (Hawaiian, girl)
- AilanyVariant of Ailani, possibly Hawaiian, to rule as chief (Hawaiian, girl)
- LeilaniHeavenly flowers; royal child (Hawaiian, girl)
- AlaniPossibly from Hawaiian ʻalani, orange tree or fruit (Hawaiian, girl)
- AlohaLove, affection (Hawaiian, unisex)
- AlohilaniBright sky (Hawaiian, girl)
- ĀnuenueA rainbow (Hawaiian, girl)
- AolaniHeavenly cloud (Hawaiian, girl)
- AylaniVariant of Ailani, possibly from Hawaiian ʻAilani (Hawaiian, girl)
- HaukeaWhite snow (Hawaiian, girl)
Kailani: common questions
What does the name Kailani mean?
Kailani comes from Hawaiian and means "sea and sky".
Is Kailani a boy or girl name?
Kailani is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Kailani come from?
Kailani comes from Hawaiian and means "sea and sky". Today it is used in Hawaiian.
How do you pronounce Kailani?
Say kye-LAH-nee. Say kai-LAH-nee. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Kailani?
Kailani ranked #253 in the US in 2025, with 1,215 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Kailani?
Forms of Kailani with the same meaning and origin include Kaylani (English) and Kehlani (English).
What middle names go with Kailani?
Middle names that flow well with Kailani include Agnes, Alice, Esme, Holly and Hope. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.