Girl name · Hawaiian
Lani
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: sky, heavenLani is a girl's name that comes from Hawaiian and means "sky, heaven". It is used in Hawaiian.
- Meaning
- Sky, heaven
- Origin
- Hawaiian
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- LAH-nee
Meaning and origin of Lani
As a girl's name, Lani comes from Hawaiian and means "sky, heaven". It is used in Hawaiian.
Say it 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
Lani on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Lani on 3 lists.
“Sky, heaven; Hawaiian. Say LAH-nee”
From Angelic names, hawaiian heavenly names
“Sky, heaven; also royal or majestic. Say LAH-nee”
From Hawaiian names, hawaiian names with lani
“Hawaiian for sky or heaven, soft and sunny”
From Unique dog names, unique dog names from around the world
How popular is Lani?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,603
- 131 babies, 82 per million girls
- Best rank
- #877 in 1947
- Most babies: 143 in 1979
- Babies since 1917
- At least 7,373
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 1 per million |
| 1920s | 1 per million |
| 1930s | 3 per million |
| 1940s | 41 per million |
| 1950s | 46 per million |
| 1960s | 49 per million |
| 1970s | 59 per million |
| 1980s | 49 per million |
| 1990s | 38 per million |
| 2000s | 62 per million |
| 2010s | 44 per million |
| 2020s | 62 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,356 | #2,349 | #2,451 | #2,262 | #2,210 | #2,082 | #1,999 | #2,042 | #1,905 | #1,603 |
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.
Names spelled like Lani
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- CelesteHeavenly, of the sky (Latin, girl)
- CelineVariant of Céline, from Caelinus, from Caelius or caelum, heaven (Latin, girl)
- CeliaHeaven (Latin, girl)
- FalakCelestial sphere, sky (Arabic, unisex)
- AkashThe sky (Sanskrit, boy)
- AlohilaniBright sky (Hawaiian, girl)
- AntarikshSpace, sky (Sanskrit, boy)
- AraceliAltar of heaven (Latin, girl)
- AsumanSky (Persian, girl)
- AzzurraAzure, sky blue (Italian, girl)
Middle names for Lani
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
- AmeliaPossibly vigorous, brave (Germanic, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- EstelleA star (Latin, girl)
- MadelineWoman from Magdala (Hebrew, girl)
- NaomiPleasantness, sweetness (Hebrew, girl)
- RosamundHorse protection (Germanic, girl)
- SerenaSerene, calm (Latin, girl)
- WilhelminaResolute protector (Germanic, girl)
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)
- 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)
- AylaniVariant of Ailani, possibly from Hawaiian ʻAilani (Hawaiian, girl)
- HaukeaWhite snow (Hawaiian, girl)
Lani: common questions
What does the name Lani mean?
Lani comes from Hawaiian and means "sky, heaven".
Is Lani a boy or girl name?
Lani is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Lani come from?
Lani comes from Hawaiian and means "sky, heaven". Today it is used in Hawaiian.
How do you pronounce Lani?
Say LAH-nee. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Lani?
Lani ranked #1,603 in the US in 2025, with 131 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Lani?
Names spelled like Lani include Ladi, Lan, Lane, Luna and Lynn.
What middle names go with Lani?
Middle names that flow well with Lani include Amelia, Anastasia, Estelle, Madeline and Naomi. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.