Aalani
A feminine name of Hawaiian origin meaning "high, lofty, and precious".
Name Census estimates that about 295 living Americans carry the first name Aalani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Aalani today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Aalani births was 2022 (39 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Aalani. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
295
~ 1 in 1,161,879 Americans
Peak year
2022
39 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,651
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Aalani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Aalani from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 173 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aalani by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Aalani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Aalanis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Georgia, Texas recorded the most babies named Aalani, while Florida, Texas, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Aalani
The name Aalani is a relatively modern invention, with no known ancient origins or historical references. It appears to be a combination of the names Aaliyah and Lani, both of which have cultural roots, but Aalani itself does not have a clear language or culture of origin.
Aaliyah is an Arabic name meaning "exalted" or "rising," derived from the root word 'aalaa, meaning "to rise" or "to be elevated." Lani, on the other hand, is a Hawaiian name meaning "heavenly" or "peaceful." The combination of these two names, Aalani, creates a unique and melodic name with a sense of exaltation and serenity.
The earliest recorded use of the name Aalani is relatively recent, with no known historical figures bearing this name until the late 20th century. However, there are a few notable individuals who have carried this name in modern times.
Aalani Salinas (born 1995) is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a contestant on the singing competition show "American Idol" in 2014. She has since released several singles and an EP, showcasing her talents in the pop and R&B genres.
Aalani Semaru (born 1990) is a former professional basketball player from Papua New Guinea. She represented her country in international competitions and played for several professional teams in Australia and New Zealand.
Aalani Tamasese (born 1998) is a Samoan fashion model and beauty pageant titleholder. She was crowned Miss Samoa in 2018 and went on to represent her country at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant.
Aalani Tuiloma (born 1997) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a prop for the Black Ferns, the national women's rugby team of New Zealand. She has represented her country in several international tournaments and World Cup competitions.
Aalani Vince (born 1991) is an Australian actress and model, best known for her roles in various television series and films, including the popular soap opera "Neighbours" and the movie "The Little Death."
While the name Aalani is relatively new and lacks a deep historical background, it has gained popularity in recent years, particularly in the United States and other English-speaking countries. Its unique blend of cultural influences and melodic sound have contributed to its appeal as a modern and distinctive name choice.
People
Aalani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Aalani as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Aalani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Aalani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 295 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Aalani going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,161,879 US residents.
Is Aalani a common name?
We classify Aalani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 297 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Aalani most popular?
The single biggest year for Aalani was 2022, when 39 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Aalani is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Aalani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Aalani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Aalani in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Aalani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Aalani in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Aalani can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Aalani?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.