Iliani
A feminine name of English origin derived from the name Eliana.
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the first name Iliani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Iliani today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iliani births was 2024 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iliani. 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
115
~ 1 in 2,980,473 Americans
Peak year
2024
12 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,617
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Iliani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Iliani from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 53 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
Iliani 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 Iliani 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 Iliani
The name Iliani is believed to have its origins in the Greek language, deriving from the ancient Greek name Ἠλιανός (Ēlianos), meaning "sun" or "of the sun." This name dates back to ancient Greek civilization, which flourished around the 8th century BCE to the 6th century CE.
The name Iliani is closely related to the Greek word "Helios," which was the personification of the sun in Greek mythology. Helios was considered one of the most important deities in the Greek pantheon, and his name was often used in names and epithets to signify strength, radiance, and vitality.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Iliani can be found in the works of ancient Greek writers and historians. For example, Aelius Herodianus, a Greek grammarian who lived in the 2nd century CE, mentioned an individual named Ilianios in his writings.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Iliani. One such figure was Iliani of Philippi, a Christian martyr who lived in the 4th century CE and was executed during the reign of Emperor Licinius for refusing to renounce her faith.
Another prominent figure was Iliani of Aitolia, a Greek scholar and teacher who lived in the 15th century CE. He was renowned for his efforts in reviving the study of ancient Greek literature and philosophy during the Renaissance period.
In the 16th century, Iliani Damianos was a Greek theologian and scholar who played a significant role in the Greek Orthodox Church's efforts to resist the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in the Balkans.
In the 18th century, Iliani Patousakis was a Greek merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of education and infrastructure in his native island of Crete.
Another notable figure was Iliani Dragoumis, a Greek novelist and feminist activist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was a pioneering figure in the women's rights movement in Greece and advocated for gender equality and women's education.
These examples illustrate the long and rich history of the name Iliani, which has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from martyrs and scholars to merchants and activists. While its origins can be traced back to ancient Greek civilization, the name has transcended geographical and cultural boundaries, reflecting its enduring appeal and significance.
People
Iliani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iliani as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Iliani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iliani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 115 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iliani 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 2,980,473 US residents.
Is Iliani a common name?
We classify Iliani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 66.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 116 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iliani most popular?
The single biggest year for Iliani was 2024, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iliani is about 10 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 Iliani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Iliani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Iliani 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 Iliani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Iliani 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 Iliani 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 Iliani?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.