| Kailani | Kehlani | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Sea and sky | the heavens / sea and sky |
| Origin | hawaiian | hawaiian |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ky-LAH-nee | keh-LAH-nee |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1980 | 2015 |
| Peak year | 2022 (1,350) | 2025 (1,981) |
| In 2025 | 1,215 | 1,981 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Kailani | Kehlani |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7,301 | 11,283 |
| 2010s | 4,067 | 3,198 |
| 2000s | 1,147 | 0 |
| 1990s | 204 | 0 |
| 1980s | 59 | 0 |
A Hawaiian compound of 'kai' (sea) and 'lani' (sky, heaven), commonly rendered 'sea and sky' or 'heavenly sea'.
A modern Hawaiian-style name built on 'lani' (sky, heaven), often read as a blend of 'kai' (sea) and 'lani' (sky), giving 'sea and sky'. It is closely related to the traditional Hawaiian name Kalani ('the heavens') and was popularized by the singer Kehlani.
Kehlani is more popular than Kailani today: about 1,981 US babies were given the name Kehlani in 2025, compared with 1,215 named Kailani.
Kailani means Sea and sky (hawaiian origin), while Kehlani means the heavens / sea and sky (hawaiian origin).
In US records, Kailani first appears in 1980 and Kehlani in 2015, so Kailani has the longer recorded history.