Haili
A feminine name of Hawaiian origin meaning "beautiful wreath".
Name Census estimates that about 814 living Americans carry the first name Haili. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Haili today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Haili births was 2003 (61 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Haili. 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
814
~ 1 in 421,074 Americans
Peak year
2003
61 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2021 SSA rank
#16,102
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Haili: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Haili from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 399 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Haili 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 Haili during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hailis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. California, Louisiana, Arizona recorded the most babies named Haili, while Texas, Ohio, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 9 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Haili
The name Haili finds its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture, with its roots dating back to the ancient Polynesian settlers of the Hawaiian Islands. The name is believed to have derived from the Hawaiian word "hali," which means "to carry" or "to bear." This connection suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who possessed strength and resilience, or perhaps to those born during times of significant events or journeys.
In Hawaiian mythology and folklore, there are no specific references to the name Haili itself. However, the name's connection to the concept of bearing or carrying may have held symbolic significance within the rich oral traditions of the Hawaiian people, who were deeply connected to the natural world and their ancestral roots.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Haili can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when Western explorers and missionaries began documenting the Hawaiian language and culture. One of the earliest known individuals with the name Haili was a Hawaiian chief who lived in the early 19th century, though specific details about his life and achievements are scarce.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Haili, though their fame and impact have varied across different regions and cultures. One such figure was Haili Chalmers (1875-1952), a Scottish missionary who worked in India and dedicated her life to promoting education and social welfare among underprivileged communities.
Another notable bearer of the name was Haili Semayne (1901-1988), a prominent artist from New Zealand who was renowned for her vibrant watercolor paintings depicting the natural landscapes of her homeland. Her works are celebrated for capturing the essence of the rugged beauty of New Zealand's landscapes.
In the realm of literature, Haili Prentice (1920-2003) was an American author and poet whose works explored themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of the human experience. Her collection of poetry, "Echoes from the Shore," garnered critical acclaim for its lyrical and introspective explorations of the human condition.
The sporting world has also seen its share of individuals named Haili, such as Haili Semisi (1962-2021), a Tongan rugby player who represented his country in international competitions and was renowned for his fierce competitiveness and dedication to the sport.
Finally, in the field of medicine, Haili Yoon (1945-2017) was a South Korean surgeon and researcher who made significant contributions to the advancement of organ transplantation techniques, saving countless lives through her pioneering work.
These examples, spanning diverse cultures, professions, and time periods, illustrate the enduring presence and versatility of the name Haili throughout history, reflecting the rich tapestry of human experiences and achievements associated with this ancient Hawaiian name.
People
Haili + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Haili as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Haili: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Haili?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 814 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Haili 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 421,074 US residents.
Is Haili a common name?
We classify Haili as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 834 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Haili most popular?
The single biggest year for Haili was 2003, when 61 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Haili is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Haili a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Haili 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.
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.