Kalani
Girl name · #387 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Kalani? In official American birth records, Kalani has been tracked continuously since 1963, giving it 62 years of documented American history.
Kalani is currently the #387 girl name in the United States — 800 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #838, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,250 girls born in 2025 was named Kalani.
The 62-year story
Kalani first appears in the Social Security records in 1963, when 11 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 959 girls were named Kalani — good for #339 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Kalani per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kalani against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kalani in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kalani is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kalani is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kalani is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Kalani is most common in MS (2.4 per 1,000), LA (2.3 per 1,000), AR (1.6 per 1,000), AL (1.5 per 1,000), SC (1.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kalani is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kalani
Statistically, parents drawn to Kalani tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kailani, Malani, Nalani, Keilani, and Milani.
KailaniMalaniNalaniKeilaniMilaniKhalaniKaylaniKahlani
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kalani | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 800 | #387 |
| 2024 | 921 | #339 |
| 2023 | 814 | #378 |
| 2022 | 843 | #375 |
| 2021 | 959 | #339 |
| 2020 | 784 | #397 |
| 2019 | 668 | #469 |
| 2018 | 527 | #583 |
| 2017 | 568 | #544 |
| 2016 | 433 | #675 |
| 2015 | 334 | #838 |
| 2014 | 239 | #1072 |
| 2013 | 170 | #1371 |
| 2012 | 180 | #1307 |
| 2011 | 158 | #1434 |
| 2010 | 126 | #1678 |
| 2009 | 166 | #1414 |
| 2008 | 108 | #1949 |
| 2007 | 120 | #1784 |
| 2006 | 134 | #1597 |
| 2005 | 113 | #1741 |
| 2004 | 143 | #1436 |
| 2003 | 107 | #1755 |
| 2002 | 92 | #1915 |
| 2001 | 81 | #2064 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kalani?
In official American birth records, the name Kalani first appeared in 1963 (over 62 years ago), when 11 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 62 years.
Is Kalani a popular girl name?
Kalani ranked #387 among girls in 2025 with 800 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #838.
When was the name Kalani most popular?
Kalani peaked in 2021, when 959 American girls received the name (ranked #339 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kalani?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,250 newborn American girls was named Kalani. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.