Makalani
A feminine Hawaiian name meaning "pathway among the clouds".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Makalani. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Makalani today is around 46 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Makalani births was 1977 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Makalani. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Makalani. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1977
5 babies that year
Average age
46
years old
1977 SSA rank
#6,455
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Makalani: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Makalani 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 Makalani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Makalani
The name Makalani has its origins in the Xhosa language, spoken by the Xhosa people of South Africa. Its roots can be traced back to the early 19th century, when the Xhosa nation was a prominent force in the region.
Makalani is derived from the Xhosa word "ukhalani," which means "to be bright" or "to shine." It is believed to have been given as a name to symbolize the hope for a child to shine brightly and lead a prosperous life.
While there are no known direct references to the name Makalani in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its connection to the Xhosa culture and language suggests that it may have been used as a name for centuries before being recorded.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Makalani can be found in the historical records of the Xhosa people, dating back to the late 18th century. During this time, a prominent Xhosa leader named Makalani played a significant role in the resistance against colonial expansion in the region.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Makalani. One such person was Makalani Khayelihle, a renowned Xhosa healer and spiritual leader who lived in the early 20th century. Another was Makalani Ntsikana, a Xhosa prophet and composer of traditional hymns, who lived from 1780 to 1821.
In the realm of sports, Makalani Zwane was a South African soccer player who represented the national team in the 1990s. Similarly, Makalani Mokoena was a South African boxer who competed in the lightweight division in the early 2000s.
Additionally, Makalani Nkoana was a prominent South African educator and activist who played a significant role in the anti-apartheid movement during the latter half of the 20th century.
These individuals, spanning different eras and fields, exemplify the rich history and cultural significance of the name Makalani within the Xhosa community and beyond.
People
Makalani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Makalani 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
Makalani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Makalani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Makalani 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Makalani a common name?
We classify Makalani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Makalani most popular?
The single biggest year for Makalani was 1977, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Makalani is about 46 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 Makalani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Makalani a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Makalani in the SSA data are male. 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 Makalani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Makalani 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 Makalani 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 common is the name Makalani?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.