Elani

Elani - A very unique female name

Elani appeared on the charts for the first time in 1999 on position #4444. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Elani and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Elani? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Elani. The baby girl name Elani was given to 278 baby girls in 2025, ranking #835 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 4,689 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Elani peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 835.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Elani, 1-5?

Elani is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Elani is currently topping the baby name charts in Texas at position #514 - and is the least popular in Pennsylvania at position #1,453.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Elani is where you live.

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Elani origin and meaning

Modern elaboration, probably of Alani or Elaina

Uncertain — Elani seems to blend Alani (Hawaiian, 'orange tree') with the El- opening of Elaina/Elena; the construction is guessed, not documented

Elani entered the data in 1999 as part of the soft, vowel-rich -lani/-ani family that Hawaiian-sounding names inspired. It stayed rare for two decades and reached its peak in 2025, as Alani and Leilani pulled their whole sound-family upward.

Origin uncertain

Elani is a 5 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Elani, pop culture references for the name Elani and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Elani

We've found the following names that sound similar to Elani, sorted by popularity.

Elaine / Ellen / Eileen / Elena / Eliana / Elaina / Elliana / Elma / Elianna / Elana /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Elani

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Elani a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Elani?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

eh-LAH-nee · /ɛˈlɑːni/
eh-LAH-nee is usual; eh-LAY-nee also occurs.

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Alani — The likely root name, a separate and larger entry
• Elaina — The Greek-root name whose opening Elani echoes — a different name
• Elany — Rare respelling

Nicknames: Lani

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 1999, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

Modern coinage

Why parents choose it

Elani is chosen for its tropical softness — Alani's glow with an El- twist, at its most popular right now.

Worth knowing

• Alani is the established name in this sound and will be assumed
• No settled meaning stands behind this particular form