Unisex name · Hawaiian
Kalani
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: the sky, the heavensKalani is a gender-neutral name that comes from Hawaiian and means "the sky, the heavens". It is used in Hawaiian.
- Meaning
- The sky, the heavens
- Origin
- Hawaiian
- Gender
- Unisex
- Say it
- kah-LAH-nee
Meaning and origin of Kalani
As a gender-neutral name, Kalani comes from Hawaiian and means "the sky, the heavens". It is used in Hawaiian.
Say it kah-LAH-nee. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Kalani on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Kalani on 4 lists.
“The sky, the heavens; Hawaiian, for boys and girls”
From Angelic names, hawaiian heavenly names
“The sky, the heavens; Hawaiian. Say kah-LAH-nee”
From Gender neutral names, unisex names from Asia and the Pacific
“The heavens; also a high chief. Say kah-LAH-nee”
From Hawaiian names, hawaiian names with lani
“The sky, the heavens; Hawaiian, for boys and girls”
From Nature names, sky, dawn and season names
How popular is Kalani?
In 2025, 800 girls and 21 boys in the US were named Kalani.
As a girl’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #387
- 800 babies, 498 per million girls
- Best rank
- #339 in 2021
- 959 babies that year
- Babies since 1963
- At least 10,278
- 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 | 1 per million |
| 1970s | 5 per million |
| 1980s | 10 per million |
| 1990s | 20 per million |
| 2000s | 61 per million |
| 2010s | 194 per million |
| 2020s | 526 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #678 | #545 | #585 | #469 | #397 | #339 | #375 | #380 | #339 | #387 |
As a boy’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #4,792
- 21 babies, 12 per million boys
- Best rank
- #1,731 in 2006
- Most babies: 86 in 2009
- Babies since 1959
- At least 2,237
- 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 | 2 per million |
| 1970s | 9 per million |
| 1980s | 11 per million |
| 1990s | 16 per million |
| 2000s | 34 per million |
| 2010s | 34 per million |
| 2020s | 21 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,910 | #2,300 | #2,822 | #3,127 | #2,819 | #2,840 | #3,248 | #3,511 | #3,305 | #4,792 |
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 Kalani
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- KehlaniVariant of Kailani, sea and sky, or Kalani, the heavens (Hawaiian, girl)
Names spelled like Kalani
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- KailaniSea and sky (Hawaiian, girl)
- KalanitAnemone (Hebrew, girl)
- KananiThe beauty (Hawaiian, girl)
- KaylaniVariant of Kailani, sea and sky (Hawaiian, girl)
- KalinaViburnum shrub (Slavic, girl)
- KaanRuler, khan (Turkish, boy)
- KağanKing, ruler (Turkish, boy)
- KaʻiulaniThe royal sacred one (Hawaiian, girl)
- KalamaThe torch (Hawaiian, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- CelesteHeavenly, of the sky (Latin, girl)
- FalakCelestial sphere, sky (Arabic, unisex)
- AkashThe sky (Sanskrit, boy)
- AlohilaniBright sky (Hawaiian, girl)
- AntarikshSpace, sky (Sanskrit, boy)
- AsumanSky (Persian, girl)
- AzzurraAzure, sky blue (Italian, girl)
- CieloSky, heaven (Latin, girl)
- GaganSky (Sanskrit, unisex)
- GökalpSky hero (Turkish, boy)
Middle names for Kalani
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More 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)
- KaiThe sea (Hawaiian, unisex)
- LeilaniHeavenly flowers; royal child (Hawaiian, girl)
- AlaniPossibly from Hawaiian ʻalani, orange tree or fruit (Hawaiian, girl)
- AlohaLove, affection (Hawaiian, unisex)
- ĀnuenueA rainbow (Hawaiian, girl)
- AolaniHeavenly cloud (Hawaiian, girl)
- AukaiSeafarer, sailor (Hawaiian, boy)
- AylaniVariant of Ailani, possibly from Hawaiian ʻAilani (Hawaiian, girl)
Kalani: common questions
What does the name Kalani mean?
Kalani comes from Hawaiian and means "the sky, the heavens".
Is Kalani a boy or girl name?
Kalani is used for both boys and girls. In 2025, 800 girls and 21 boys in the US were named Kalani, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Kalani come from?
Kalani comes from Hawaiian and means "the sky, the heavens". Today it is used in Hawaiian.
How do you pronounce Kalani?
Say kah-LAH-nee. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Kalani?
Kalani ranked #387 in the US in 2025, with 800 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Kalani?
Forms of Kalani with the same meaning and origin include Kehlani (English).
What middle names go with Kalani?
Middle names that flow well with Kalani include Anne, Basil, Fern, Gemma and Glenn. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.