Ehlani
An invented name of uncertain meaning, perhaps intended to connote "life".
Name Census estimates that about 838 living Americans carry the first name Ehlani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ehlani today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ehlani births was 2021 (241 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ehlani. 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
838
~ 1 in 409,015 Americans
Peak year
2021
241 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,398
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Ehlani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ehlani from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 833 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
Ehlani 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 Ehlani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ehlanis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Ehlani, while Oklahoma, New Mexico, Washington recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 44 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ehlani
The name Ehlani is believed to have its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is thought to be a modern variation or combination of the Hawaiian words "ehla," meaning bright or radiant, and "ani," which can refer to a ray or beam of light. The name is therefore believed to convey a meaning of radiance, brilliance, or luminosity.
In ancient Hawaiian tradition, names were often derived from nature, with many drawing inspiration from elements like the sun, moon, stars, and natural phenomena. The name Ehlani seems to follow this tradition, evoking imagery of a bright, shining light or ray. However, there are no known historical records or ancient texts that specifically mention this name.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Ehlani are relatively modern, with the name gaining popularity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It is likely that the name was created or popularized during this time as a modern Hawaiian name, possibly inspired by traditional Hawaiian naming practices and word roots.
While there are no notable historical figures directly associated with the name Ehlani, there are a few individuals who have contributed to its growing recognition in recent times. These include Ehlani Rojas, an American singer and social media personality born in 2002, and Ehlani McGillvery, a Canadian actress known for her role in the television series "The Detour."
Additionally, Ehlana Oliel is an American fashion designer and entrepreneur, and Ehlani Brown is a Canadian track and field athlete who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Ehlana Hendry is also a British singer and songwriter who has released several albums and singles.
It is worth noting that while the name Ehlani has gained popularity in recent years, its historical roots and origins remain uncertain, as it appears to be a modern creation or variation of traditional Hawaiian words and naming practices.
People
Ehlani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ehlani as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ehlani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ehlani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 838 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ehlani 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 409,015 US residents.
Is Ehlani a common name?
We classify Ehlani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 843 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ehlani most popular?
The single biggest year for Ehlani was 2021, when 241 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ehlani is about 4 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 Ehlani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ehlani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ehlani 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 Ehlani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ehlani 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 Ehlani 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 Americans are named Ehlani?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Ehlani at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.