Kelani
An ancient Sinhalese name meaning "river princess" or "princess of the river".
Name Census estimates that about 1,623 living Americans carry the first name Kelani. It is a predominantly female name (96.0% of registrations). The average person named Kelani today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kelani births was 2020 (189 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kelani. 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
- • Although Kelani is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 66 boys registered with the name since 1880.
- • Kelani 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
1.6K
~ 1 in 211,186 Americans
Peak year
2020
189 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2022 SSA rank
#1,356
Tracked since 1976
Gender
Gender distribution for Kelani
Kelani leans heavily female at 96.0% of total registrations, but 66 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Kelani as a male name
- Ranked #13,358 in 2022
- 5 male births in 2022
- Peak: 2014 (8 births)
Kelani as a female name
- Ranked #1,356 in 2024
- 168 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (182 births)
Popularity
Kelani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kelani from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 815 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
Kelani 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 Kelani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kelanis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 20 states and territories. Florida, Texas, Georgia recorded the most babies named Kelani, while Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 42 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kelani
The name Kelani is believed to have its origins in the Sinhalese language, which is spoken primarily in Sri Lanka. It is a relatively modern name that gained popularity in the 20th century, particularly among the Sinhala community.
The name Kelani is derived from the name of the Kelani River, a major river that flows through the Western Province of Sri Lanka. The river is considered sacred in Sinhala Buddhist culture and has played a significant role in the history and mythology of the region.
While the name Kelani does not have a long recorded history, it has been associated with several notable individuals in recent times. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Kelani Palipana, a Sinhalese author and poet who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Another notable figure with the name Kelani is Kelani Vijitha, a Sri Lankan film director and screenwriter who has made significant contributions to Sinhala cinema. He directed several critically acclaimed films, including "Viragaya" (1987) and "Bambaru Avith" (1977).
In the field of music, Kelani Jayasiri is a prominent name. He is a Sri Lankan composer and musician who has composed numerous popular songs and film scores. His compositions have played a significant role in shaping the modern Sinhala music scene.
Kelani Gnanamuttu was a Sri Lankan politician and member of parliament who served as the Minister of Industrial Development in the late 20th century. He played an influential role in shaping the country's industrial policies during his time in office.
Finally, Kelani Abeywickrama is a contemporary Sri Lankan artist known for her vibrant and colorful paintings. Her works often depict scenes from Sri Lankan culture and daily life, capturing the essence of the island nation's rich traditions and heritage.
While the name Kelani is relatively modern and does not have a long recorded history, it has gained popularity and recognition in recent times, particularly among the Sinhalese community in Sri Lanka. The name's association with the sacred Kelani River and its adoption by notable figures in various fields has contributed to its significance and cultural relevance.
People
Kelani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kelani 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
Kelani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kelani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,623 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kelani 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 211,186 US residents.
Is Kelani a common name?
We classify Kelani as "Rare". It ranks above 92.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,637 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kelani most popular?
The single biggest year for Kelani was 2020, when 189 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kelani is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kelani a female name?
Yes, 96.0% of people registered as Kelani 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.