Halani
A Hawaiian feminine name meaning "beautiful and radiant one".
Name Census estimates that about 103 living Americans carry the first name Halani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Halani today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Halani births was 2024 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Halani. 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
103
~ 1 in 3,327,712 Americans
Peak year
2024
24 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,335
Tracked since 2015
Popularity
Halani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Halani 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 79 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
Halani 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 Halani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Halani
The name Halani has its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture, dating back several centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Hawaiian word "hala," which means pandanus tree or screwpine, a plant commonly found in the Hawaiian Islands. The name may also be related to the word "hala'i," which means ginger or turmeric.
Halani was a relatively common name among the indigenous Hawaiian people, particularly in the pre-colonial era. The name appears in various Hawaiian chants, songs, and oral traditions, reflecting its deep-rooted connection to the island's culture and history.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Halani can be found in the traditional Hawaiian genealogies, which trace the lineages of influential families and chieftains. These genealogies often included individuals with the name Halani, suggesting its significance within the Hawaiian community.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Halani. One such person was Halani Kalama (1835-1903), a Hawaiian politician and member of the House of Nobles during the Kingdom of Hawaii. Another was Halani Kapukini (1856-1922), a Hawaiian educator and principal of the Kamehameha Schools, dedicated to preserving Hawaiian language and culture.
In the early 20th century, Halani Aloha Kahele (1900-1984) was a prominent Hawaiian writer and poet, known for her contributions to the preservation of Hawaiian literature and traditions. Halani Haili (1920-1999) was a respected Hawaiian musician and dancer, renowned for her expertise in hula and her efforts to perpetuate Hawaiian cultural practices.
More recently, Halani McDougall (born 1964) is a Hawaiian artist and environmental activist, known for her vibrant paintings and advocacy for indigenous rights and environmental conservation in Hawaii.
While the name Halani has its roots in the Hawaiian culture, it has gained popularity across various regions and communities, transcending its original geographic boundaries. However, its historical significance and deep connection to the Hawaiian Islands remain an integral part of its identity and legacy.
People
Halani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Halani 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
Halani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Halani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 103 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Halani 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 3,327,712 US residents.
Is Halani a common name?
We classify Halani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 104 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Halani most popular?
The single biggest year for Halani was 2024, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Halani is about 5 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 Halani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Halani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Halani 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 Halani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Halani 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 Halani 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 Halani?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Halani on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.