What does Kailani mean?
A Hawaiian compound of 'kai' (sea) and 'lani' (sky, heaven), commonly rendered 'sea and sky' or 'heavenly sea'.
What does Malia mean?
Malia is a Hawaiian form of Mary, also associated with “calm” waters.
Kailani vs Malia
Which is more popular?
Kailani is more popular than Malia today: about 1,215 US babies were given the name Kailani in 2025, compared with 872 named Malia.
| Kailani | Malia | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Sea and sky | Calm, gentle |
| Origin | hawaiian | Hawaiian |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ky-LAH-nee | muh-LEE-uh |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1980 | 1919 |
| Peak year | 2022 (1,350) | 2009 (1,700) |
| In 2025 | 1,215 | 872 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Kailani
Malia
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Kailani | Malia |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7,301 | 6,533 |
| 2010s | 4,067 | 11,140 |
| 2000s | 1,147 | 8,205 |
| 1990s | 204 | 2,477 |
| 1980s | 59 | 1,442 |
| 1970s | 0 | 1,027 |
| 1960s | 0 | 449 |
| 1950s | 0 | 323 |
| 1940s | 0 | 5 |
| 1910s | 0 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kailani or Malia more popular?
Kailani is more popular than Malia today: about 1,215 US babies were given the name Kailani in 2025, compared with 872 named Malia.
What is the difference between Kailani and Malia?
Kailani means Sea and sky (hawaiian origin), while Malia means Calm, gentle (Hawaiian origin).
Which name is older, Kailani or Malia?
In US records, Kailani first appears in 1980 and Malia in 1919, so Malia has the longer recorded history.