| Mahina | Kehlani | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Moon | the heavens / sea and sky |
| Origin | hawaiian | hawaiian |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | mah-HEE-nah | keh-LAH-nee |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 0 | 2015 |
| Peak year | 2022 (53) | 2025 (1,981) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 1,981 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Mahina | Kehlani |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 247 | 11,283 |
| 2010s | 227 | 3,198 |
| 2000s | 128 | 0 |
| 1990s | 69 | 0 |
| 1980s | 11 | 0 |
| 1970s | 5 | 0 |
Mahina is the Hawaiian word for 'moon, month, moonlight,' from Proto-Polynesian masina, and is linked to the goddess Hina. The lunar meaning is well documented in Hawaiian dictionaries.
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 Mahina today: about 1,981 US babies were given the name Kehlani in 2025, compared with 0 named Mahina.
Mahina means Moon (hawaiian origin), while Kehlani means the heavens / sea and sky (hawaiian origin).
In US records, Mahina first appears in 0 and Kehlani in 2015, so Mahina has the longer recorded history.