Kelani
Girl name · #1543 in 2025 · Uniqueness 74/100
Kelani is currently the #1543 girl name in the United States — 137 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3915, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,139 girls born in 2025 was named Kelani.
The 49-year story
Kelani first appears in the Social Security records in 1976, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2020, when 182 girls were named Kelani — good for #1246 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 Kelani per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kelani against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kelani in class?
Kelani scores 74 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Kelani will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kelani is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kelani is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kelanis were TX (17), GA (13), FL (12), LA (10), AL (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kelani
Statistically, parents drawn to Kelani tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kaelani, Kylani, Khelani, Khalani, and Ahlani.
KaelaniKylaniKhelaniKhalaniAhlaniKeylaniKlaniKahlani
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kelani | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 137 | #1540 |
| 2024 | 168 | #1358 |
| 2023 | 141 | #1519 |
| 2022 | 165 | #1387 |
| 2021 | 147 | #1460 |
| 2020 | 182 | #1246 |
| 2019 | 124 | #1687 |
| 2018 | 113 | #1799 |
| 2017 | 92 | #2097 |
| 2016 | 56 | #2966 |
| 2015 | 38 | #3915 |
| 2014 | 19 | #6451 |
| 2013 | 23 | #5644 |
| 2012 | 20 | #6341 |
| 2011 | 19 | #6564 |
| 2010 | 22 | #5977 |
| 2009 | 21 | #6317 |
| 2008 | 18 | #7073 |
| 2007 | 16 | #7733 |
| 2006 | 13 | #8715 |
| 2005 | 19 | #6245 |
| 2004 | 15 | #7391 |
| 2003 | 14 | #7580 |
| 2002 | 10 | #9482 |
| 2001 | 14 | #7317 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kelani a popular girl name?
Kelani ranked #1543 among girls in 2025 with 137 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3915.
When was the name Kelani most popular?
Kelani peaked in 2020, when 182 American girls received the name (ranked #1246 that year). Since 2020 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kelani?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,139 newborn American girls was named Kelani. It scores 74/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.