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