Mahealani
A Hawaiian name meaning "rayed moon" or "moon ray".
Name Census estimates that about 603 living Americans carry the first name Mahealani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mahealani today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mahealani births was 2018 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mahealani. 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
603
~ 1 in 568,415 Americans
Peak year
2018
23 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,220
Tracked since 1969
Popularity
Mahealani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mahealani from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 151 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Mahealani remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mahealani 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 Mahealani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mahealanis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Mahealani
Mahealani is a Hawaiian given name with a rich history and cultural significance. It is derived from the Hawaiian words "mahea," meaning "lunar phase," and "lani," meaning "heaven" or "sky." The name can be translated as "heavenly moon" or "moon in the heavens."
The name Mahealani has its origins in the ancient Hawaiian culture, where the moon and its cycles held great importance. The Hawaiians closely observed the phases of the moon and used it to guide their activities, such as fishing, planting, and navigation. The name reflects the reverence and respect the Hawaiian people had for the celestial bodies and their connection to the natural world.
In Hawaiian mythology, the moon goddess Hina was closely associated with the moon's phases and was believed to have a profound influence on various aspects of life, including fertility, childbirth, and the tides. The name Mahealani may have been bestowed upon children born during certain lunar phases or to honor the moon goddess.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mahealani can be found in the Hawaiian genealogies and oral traditions passed down through generations. Queen Mahealani, who ruled the island of Kauai in the late 18th century, was a notable figure in Hawaiian history. Her reign was marked by her wisdom and commitment to preserving the cultural traditions of her people.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Mahealani was Mahealani Dudoit (1890-1970), a Hawaiian musician and composer known for her contributions to the preservation of traditional Hawaiian music. She composed numerous songs and chants, many of which are still performed and celebrated today.
Mahealani Kamau'u (1913-1966) was a renowned Hawaiian hula dancer and choreographer. She played a significant role in reviving and perpetuating the art of hula, which had faced suppression during the period of Western influence in Hawaii. Her performances and teachings helped to keep the cultural traditions of hula alive.
Mahealani Wendt (1954-2021) was a celebrated Samoan-New Zealand author and poet. Her works explored themes of identity, culture, and the experiences of Pacific Islanders in the diaspora. She was recognized for her contributions to the literary landscape of the Pacific region and received several awards and honors during her lifetime.
Mahealani Richardson (born 1971) is a Native Hawaiian activist and educator known for her efforts in promoting the revitalization of the Hawaiian language and culture. She has worked tirelessly to preserve and pass on traditional knowledge and practices to younger generations, ensuring the continuity of her people's heritage.
People
Mahealani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mahealani 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
Mahealani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mahealani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 603 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mahealani 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 568,415 US residents.
Is Mahealani a common name?
We classify Mahealani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 619 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mahealani most popular?
The single biggest year for Mahealani was 2018, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mahealani is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mahealani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mahealani 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.