Kaelani
Of Hawaiian origin meaning "garden of the heavens".
Name Census estimates that about 1,195 living Americans carry the first name Kaelani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kaelani today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaelani births was 2023 (132 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaelani. 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.
Key insights
- • Kaelani is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 9 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 286,824 Americans
Peak year
2023
132 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,775
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Kaelani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kaelani from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 551 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
Kaelani 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 Kaelani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kaelanis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Kaelani, while Oklahoma, Nevada, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 32 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kaelani
The name Kaelani has its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is a relatively modern name, first appearing in the late 20th century. The name is a combination of two Hawaiian words, "kae" meaning "the one" and "lani" meaning "heavenly" or "sky". Therefore, the name can be interpreted to mean "the heavenly one" or "the one from the sky".
While the name itself is a modern invention, its roots can be traced back to the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the Hawaiian islands. The Hawaiian language has been spoken by the indigenous people of Hawaii for centuries, and many Hawaiian names have their origins in the natural world, drawing inspiration from the islands' stunning landscapes, flora, and fauna.
There are no known historical references to the name Kaelani in ancient texts or religious scriptures. However, its components, "kae" and "lani", can be found in various Hawaiian legends and stories passed down through oral traditions.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Kaelani are relatively recent, with the name gaining popularity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. While the name has yet to produce any particularly famous individuals, it has been embraced by parents seeking unique and meaningful names for their children.
One notable bearer of the name Kaelani is Kaelani Devin Quist, an American actress born in 2003. She has appeared in several television shows and films, including the Nickelodeon series "Sam & Cat" and the movie "The Little Rascals" (2014).
Another individual named Kaelani is Kaelani Arellano, a former professional soccer player from the United States. She played as a midfielder for various teams, including the Los Angeles Sol and the University of Southern California.
In the world of music, there is Kaelani Cahill, a Canadian singer-songwriter known for her pop and R&B style. She has released several singles and has gained a following on social media platforms.
Kaelani Darien is an American model and social media influencer who has worked with various brands and has a substantial following on platforms like Instagram.
Lastly, Kaelani Arce is a professional surfer from Hawaii. She has competed in various surfing competitions and has won several titles, representing her home state and the rich surfing culture of the Hawaiian islands.
People
Kaelani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaelani as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kaelani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaelani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,195 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaelani 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 286,824 US residents.
Is Kaelani a common name?
We classify Kaelani as "Rare". It ranks above 91.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,205 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaelani most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaelani was 2023, when 132 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaelani is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kaelani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kaelani 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.