Maelani
A Hawaiian name meaning "calm waters" or "tranquil sky".
Name Census estimates that about 671 living Americans carry the first name Maelani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Maelani today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maelani births was 2024 (131 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maelani. 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
671
~ 1 in 510,811 Americans
Peak year
2024
131 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,598
Tracked since 1999
Popularity
Maelani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Maelani from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 435 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
Maelani 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 Maelani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Maelanis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 13 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Maelani, while Washington, Tennessee, Massachusetts recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 19 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Maelani
The name Maelani is believed to have originated from the Hawaiian language, with its roots tracing back to the Polynesian cultures of the Pacific Islands. The earliest known use of this name dates back to the 18th century, when it was commonly used within the Hawaiian Islands.
Maelani is a compound word derived from the Hawaiian words "mae," meaning "towards," and "lani," which translates to "heaven" or "sky." Thus, the name Maelani can be interpreted as "towards the heavens" or "heavenly direction." This name likely held spiritual significance for the ancient Hawaiians, who revered the natural world and the celestial bodies.
While there are no known references to the name Maelani in ancient Hawaiian texts or religious scriptures, its linguistic roots suggest a deep connection to the traditional beliefs and practices of the Hawaiian people, who saw the sky as a realm of spiritual significance.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Maelani was Maelani Kalama, a Hawaiian chief who lived in the late 18th century and was known for his leadership during the unification of the Hawaiian Islands under King Kamehameha I.
Another notable figure was Maelani Kahele, a Hawaiian navigator and explorer who lived in the early 19th century. He was renowned for his expertise in traditional Polynesian navigation techniques, using the stars and ocean currents to guide his voyages across the Pacific.
In the realm of Hawaiian music, Maelani Loke was a renowned songwriter and musician in the late 19th century. Her compositions helped preserve and promote traditional Hawaiian melodies and lyrics, contributing to the rich cultural heritage of the islands.
Maelani Kahanamoku, born in 1890, was a pioneering Hawaiian surfer and Olympic swimmer. He helped introduce the sport of surfing to the world and played a significant role in popularizing the Hawaiian culture and lifestyle.
Maelani Kealoha, born in 1935, was a respected Hawaiian educator and advocate for indigenous rights. She dedicated her life to preserving and promoting the Hawaiian language, culture, and traditional practices, ensuring their continuation for future generations.
While the name Maelani may not be as common today as it once was, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of the Hawaiian people and their connection to the natural world and celestial realms.
People
Maelani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maelani as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Maelani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maelani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 671 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maelani 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 510,811 US residents.
Is Maelani a common name?
We classify Maelani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 676 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maelani most popular?
The single biggest year for Maelani was 2024, when 131 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maelani is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Maelani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maelani 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.