Kahlani
A Hawaiian name meaning "the heavenly one" or "beautiful lei".
Name Census estimates that about 1,896 living Americans carry the first name Kahlani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kahlani today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kahlani births was 2024 (320 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kahlani. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Kahlani with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Kahlani is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 5 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.9K
~ 1 in 180,778 Americans
Peak year
2024
320 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2020 SSA rank
#840
Tracked since 2003
Gender
Gender distribution for Kahlani
Out of the 1,908 babies given the name Kahlani since 1880, 99.6% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Kahlani as a male name
- Ranked #10,059 in 2020
- 7 male births in 2020
- Peak: 2020 (7 births)
Kahlani as a female name
- Ranked #840 in 2024
- 320 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (320 births)
Popularity
Kahlani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kahlani from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 1,334 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
Kahlani 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 Kahlani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kahlanis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 26 states and territories. Texas, Florida, Georgia recorded the most babies named Kahlani, while Washington, Kansas, Arkansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 56 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kahlani
The name Kahlani has its roots in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is believed to have originated from the Hawaiian word "ka'ili," which means "the sea." The name is thought to have been derived from this word, reflecting the deep connection that the Hawaiian people have with the ocean and its significance in their cultural traditions.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kahlani can be traced back to the late 18th century, when it was documented in historical records of Hawaiian royalty. During this time, the name was often bestowed upon members of the royal family, as it was considered a prestigious and meaningful name.
Throughout the centuries, several notable figures have borne the name Kahlani. One such individual was Kahlani Kalama, a renowned Hawaiian poet and storyteller who lived during the early 19th century. Her works played a crucial role in preserving and passing down the oral traditions and cultural heritage of the Hawaiian people.
Another notable Kahlani was Kahlani Mokuahi, a highly respected navigator and wayfinder who lived in the late 18th century. Mokuahi was renowned for his exceptional skills in navigating the vast Pacific Ocean using traditional Polynesian methods, guiding voyages between the Hawaiian Islands and other islands in the region.
In the realm of Hawaiian music, Kahlani Kala'i was a celebrated musician and composer in the early 20th century. Her compositions, which blended traditional Hawaiian melodies with contemporary influences, helped to popularize Hawaiian music both within the islands and on the global stage.
Additionally, Kahlani Keahi was a prominent activist and community leader in the late 20th century. She played a pivotal role in the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, advocating for the rights and self-determination of the indigenous Hawaiian people. Keahi's efforts contributed significantly to raising awareness and garnering support for the cause both locally and internationally.
The name Kahlani continues to hold significance and cultural importance within the Hawaiian community, serving as a reminder of the islands' rich heritage and the deep reverence for the ocean that has been an integral part of Hawaiian culture for generations.
People
Kahlani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kahlani 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
Kahlani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kahlani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,896 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kahlani 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 180,778 US residents.
Is Kahlani a common name?
We classify Kahlani as "Rare". It ranks above 93.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,908 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kahlani most popular?
The single biggest year for Kahlani was 2024, when 320 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kahlani 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 Kahlani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kahlani a female name?
Yes, 99.6% of people registered as Kahlani 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 Kahlani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kahlani 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 Kahlani 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 are named Kahlani?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.