| Kehlani | Kailani | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | the heavens / sea and sky | Sea and sky |
| Origin | hawaiian | hawaiian |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | keh-LAH-nee | ky-LAH-nee |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 2015 | 1980 |
| Peak year | 2025 (1,981) | 2022 (1,350) |
| In 2025 | 1,981 | 1,215 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Kehlani | Kailani |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 11,283 | 7,301 |
| 2010s | 3,198 | 4,067 |
| 2000s | 0 | 1,147 |
| 1990s | 0 | 204 |
| 1980s | 0 | 59 |
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.
A Hawaiian compound of 'kai' (sea) and 'lani' (sky, heaven), commonly rendered 'sea and sky' or 'heavenly sea'.
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.
Kehlani means the heavens / sea and sky (hawaiian origin), while Kailani means Sea and sky (hawaiian origin).
In US records, Kehlani first appears in 2015 and Kailani in 1980, so Kailani has the longer recorded history.