Kahealani
A Hawaiian feminine name meaning "the heavenly brightness" or "heavenly ray".
Name Census estimates that about 444 living Americans carry the first name Kahealani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kahealani today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kahealani births was 2019 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kahealani. 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
444
~ 1 in 771,969 Americans
Peak year
2019
18 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,843
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Kahealani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kahealani 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 100 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Kahealani remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kahealani 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 Kahealani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kahealanis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Kahealani
Kahealani is a given name of Hawaiian origin, derived from the combination of two words: "kahea" meaning "to call" and "lani" meaning "heaven" or "sky." This name is believed to have emerged during the ancient Hawaiian cultural period, though its exact origins are uncertain.
The name Kahealani evokes a sense of reverence and connection to the celestial realms. In traditional Hawaiian beliefs, the sky and heavens were revered as sacred spaces, and names related to these concepts were often bestowed upon individuals to signify their spiritual significance or a divine calling.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Kahealani can be traced back to ancient Hawaiian chants and oral traditions. These chants, known as mele, were an integral part of Hawaiian culture and were used to pass down stories, histories, and genealogies. While specific dates are difficult to pinpoint, the presence of the name in these ancient oral traditions suggests its long-standing use within Hawaiian society.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kahealani. One such person was Kahealani Kealoha (c. 1820-1890), a Hawaiian chieftess and landowner from the island of Kauai. She was renowned for her generosity and philanthropy, donating land and resources to establish schools and churches in her community.
Another prominent figure was Kahealani Kapule (1853-1919), a Hawaiian linguist and scholar who dedicated her life to preserving and promoting the Hawaiian language. She authored several books and worked tirelessly to ensure the language's survival amidst the cultural shifts brought about by Western colonization.
In the realm of arts and culture, Kahealani Naeole (1938-2019) was a celebrated Hawaiian musician and composer. She was a master of the traditional Hawaiian chant and was instrumental in reviving and perpetuating the art form. Her compositions and performances helped to keep the rich cultural heritage of Hawaii alive for future generations.
Kahealani Rios (1942-2018) was a prominent Hawaiian activist and advocate for indigenous rights. She played a pivotal role in the Hawaiian sovereignty movement and worked to protect and preserve Native Hawaiian lands, cultures, and traditions.
Lastly, Kahealani Kealoha (born 1991) is a contemporary Hawaiian artist and educator. Her works, which span various mediums including painting, sculpture, and installation, explore themes of identity, cultural resilience, and the interconnectedness of all living beings.
These individuals, spanning different eras and disciplines, exemplify the enduring significance and cultural resonance of the name Kahealani within the Hawaiian tradition.
People
Kahealani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kahealani 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
Kahealani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kahealani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 444 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kahealani 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 771,969 US residents.
Is Kahealani a common name?
We classify Kahealani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 457 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kahealani most popular?
The single biggest year for Kahealani was 2019, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kahealani is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kahealani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kahealani 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.