Kelani - A very unique female name
Kelani at a glance
Kelani is ranked #1488 among girl baby names in 2025, with 92 births in 2025. It peaked in 2020 at #1213 and first appeared on the charts in 1995.
- Rank in 2025
- #1488
- Births in 2025
- 92
- Peak year
- 2020 (#1213)
- First appeared
- 1995
- Trend
- #1213 in 2020 → #1488 in 2025 (Falling)
- Popularity
- 1 in 14,168 girls
- Visitor rating
- 3.3/5 (3 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 14,168 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kelani peaked in popularity 6 years ago in 2020 on position 1213.
Famous with this name
Tunde Kelani
Kelani Lim
Kelani Cummings
How would you rate Kelani, 1-5?
Kelani is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kelani is currently topping the baby name charts in Louisiana at position #456 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #1,436.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 Kelani is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Kelani origin and meaning
Modern variant (American)
Uncertain — a respelling in the Kehlani and Kailani family; Hawaiian-looking constructions are claimed for it but not documented for this spelling
Kelani belongs to the -lani cluster of names that surged in the 2010s, reshaped by singer Kehlani's fame and by Hawaiian name sounds generally. Pinning a Hawaiian dictionary meaning on this particular spelling would be invention. It peaked in 2020 and is falling with the rest of its family.
Origin uncertain
Kelani is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.
To see famous people named Kelani, pop culture references for the name Kelani and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Kelani
We've found the following names that sound similar to Kelani, sorted by popularity.
Kaylin / Kehlani / Kaelyn / Kailyn / Kailani / Kaylani / Kaylynn / Kaylyn / Kalani / Kalyn /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)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1488 |
| 2024 | 1356 |
| 2023 | 1437 |
| 2022 | 1321 |
| 2021 | 1552 |
| 2020 | 1213 |
| 2019 | 1759 |
| 2018 | 1807 |
| 2017 | 1920 |
| 2016 | 3000 |
| 2015 | 5333 |
| 2014 | 4695 |
| 2010 | 5382 |
| 2008 | 5554 |
| 2007 | 4274 |
| 2006 | 5452 |
| 2005 | 4009 |
| 2004 | 5334 |
| 1998 | 4505 |
| 1995 | 3579 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | 456 |
| Mississippi | 587 |
| Alabama | 678 |
| Georgia | 774 |
| Indiana | 984 |
| Florida | 1208 |
| New Jersey | 1272 |
| Virginia | 1287 |
| Pennsylvania | 1312 |
| North Carolina | 1360 |
| Texas | 1436 |
Even more about Kelani
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 Kelani 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 Kelani?
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.Pronunciation
keh-LAH-nee · /kəˈlɑːni/
Around the world
No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.
Spellings and nicknames
- Kehlani — The singer's name and the family's most famous spelling, a separate name
- Kaylani — Another respelling in the same -lani family
Famous bearers
None yet — the name first appears in the data in 1995, and its oldest bearers are still young.
Style
Modern coinage
Why parents choose it
Parents like Kelani for its breezy, beachy rhythm — Kehlani's glamour in a simpler spelling.
Worth knowing
- A thicket of near-identical spellings — Kehlani, Kailani, Kaylani, Leilani — guarantees mix-ups.
- Meanings offered online for this spelling are not documented.
