Nailani
A Hawaiian name meaning beautiful or beautiful heavens.
Name Census estimates that about 364 living Americans carry the first name Nailani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nailani today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nailani births was 2024 (55 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nailani. 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
364
~ 1 in 941,633 Americans
Peak year
2024
55 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,996
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Nailani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nailani from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 214 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
Nailani 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 Nailani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nailanis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, Florida, Texas recorded the most babies named Nailani, while Maryland, New York, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 8 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nailani
Nailani is a female given name of Hawaiian origin, derived from the combination of the Hawaiian words "nai," meaning "beautiful," and "lani," meaning "sky" or "heaven." This name carries the meaning of "beautiful heavens" or "beautiful skies."
The name Nailani has its roots in the ancient Polynesian culture and language of Hawaii, which dates back to the earliest settlements on the Hawaiian Islands around the 4th century AD. It reflects the deep connection between the native Hawaiian people and the natural world, particularly the reverence for the sky and celestial bodies.
While the name Nailani is not explicitly mentioned in traditional Hawaiian chants or ancient texts, it was likely used by the indigenous Hawaiian population for centuries before written records were kept. The earliest documented instances of the name's usage are found in genealogical records and birth registries from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Nailani was Nailani Kahalewai, a Hawaiian woman born in the late 1800s on the island of Maui. Another notable figure was Nailani Kamali'i, a renowned hula dancer and teacher from the early 20th century, who helped preserve and promote traditional Hawaiian dance and culture.
Throughout the 20th century, several notable Hawaiian women bore the name Nailani, including Nailani Kaahaaina, a Hawaiian activist and community leader, and Nailani Keahi, a respected kumu hula (hula teacher) and cultural practitioner.
In more recent times, the name Nailani has gained popularity outside of Hawaii, particularly in the United States, due to its beautiful meaning and connection to Hawaiian culture. Some notable individuals with this name include Nailani Wahi, a Hawaiian artist and educator, and Nailani Polido, a Hawaiian actress and model.
While the name Nailani is not as common as some other Hawaiian names, it continues to be cherished by the Hawaiian community and appreciated by those who value its connection to the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands.
People
Nailani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nailani as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nailani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nailani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 364 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nailani 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 941,633 US residents.
Is Nailani a common name?
We classify Nailani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 366 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nailani most popular?
The single biggest year for Nailani was 2024, when 55 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nailani is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nailani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nailani 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.