Kanani
A Hawaiian name meaning "beautiful" or "beautiful child".
Name Census estimates that about 858 living Americans carry the first name Kanani. It is a predominantly female name (99.4% of registrations). The average person named Kanani today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kanani births was 2000 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kanani. 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
858
~ 1 in 399,481 Americans
Peak year
2000
31 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
1977 SSA rank
#6,255
Tracked since 1964
Gender
Gender distribution for Kanani
Out of the 887 babies given the name Kanani since 1880, 99.4% 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.
Kanani as a male name
- Ranked #6,339 in 1977
- 5 male births in 1977
- Peak: 1977 (5 births)
Kanani as a female name
- Ranked #6,255 in 2024
- 19 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2000 (31 births)
Popularity
Kanani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kanani from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 205 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Kanani remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kanani 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 Kanani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kananis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Kanani
The name Kanani originates from the Hawaiian language and culture. It is a feminine given name that has its roots in the word "nani," which means beautiful or gorgeous in Hawaiian. The name Kanani is believed to have been in use since the ancient Polynesian era, which dates back several centuries.
In Hawaiian mythology and folklore, Kanani was often used as a name for goddesses or other divine female entities associated with beauty, grace, and nature. Some ancient Hawaiian chants and oral traditions mention Kanani as a symbolic representation of the island's natural splendor and the allure of its landscapes.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kanani can be found in the historical accounts of the Hawaiian royal families from the 18th and 19th centuries. Several high-ranking chieftains and members of the nobility bore the name Kanani during this period, indicating its widespread acceptance and prestige.
Throughout Hawaiian history, several notable individuals have carried the name Kanani. One such figure was Kanani Kapualeilani (1857-1922), a member of the Hawaiian royal family who played a significant role in preserving and promoting traditional Hawaiian arts and culture.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Kanani Kaulana (1900-1982), a celebrated hula dancer and kumu hula (hula teacher) who helped to revive and perpetuate the art of hula during the 20th century.
In the literary realm, Kanani Kahakauila (1918-1995) was a renowned Hawaiian writer and poet whose works explored themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the unique experiences of Native Hawaiians.
Moving to the field of music, Kanani Kamakawiwo'ole (1921-2002) was a respected Hawaiian composer and singer who helped to popularize traditional Hawaiian music both within Hawaii and internationally.
More recently, Kanani Akaka (born 1960) is a prominent Hawaiian activist and educator who has dedicated her life to advocating for Native Hawaiian rights and preserving indigenous culture and language.
While the name Kanani has maintained its cultural significance within Hawaii, it has also gained popularity worldwide, transcending its Hawaiian roots and becoming a beloved choice for parents seeking a name that evokes beauty, grace, and a connection to nature.
People
Kanani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kanani 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
Kanani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kanani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 858 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kanani 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 399,481 US residents.
Is Kanani a common name?
We classify Kanani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 887 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kanani most popular?
The single biggest year for Kanani was 2000, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kanani is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kanani a female name?
Yes, 99.4% of people registered as Kanani 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.