Kalani
Girl name · #387 in 2025 · Uniqueness 52/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kalani against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kalani in class?
Kalani scores 52 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. 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. In 2025 the states with the most Kalanis were TX (85), FL (68), GA (54), NC (50), CA (47). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 52/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.