Lani
Girl name · #1595 in 2025 · Uniqueness 49/100
Lani ranks #1595 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 131 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2646, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,740 girls born in 2025 was named Lani.
The 108-year story
Lani first appears in the Social Security records in 1917, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1979, when 143 girls were named Lani — good for #995 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Lani per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lani against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lani in class?
Lani scores 49 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 Lani is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lani is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Lanis were CA (22), TX (20), FL (12), IN (7), GA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Lani
Statistically, parents drawn to Lani tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rani, Lindy, Rina, Liza, and Cori.
RaniLindyRinaLizaCoriJoiLorenaJoey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lani | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 131 | #1592 |
| 2024 | 105 | #1895 |
| 2023 | 96 | #2033 |
| 2022 | 98 | #1992 |
| 2021 | 92 | #2071 |
| 2020 | 82 | #2196 |
| 2019 | 81 | #2249 |
| 2018 | 73 | #2438 |
| 2017 | 78 | #2338 |
| 2016 | 80 | #2343 |
| 2015 | 67 | #2646 |
| 2014 | 72 | #2497 |
| 2013 | 74 | #2439 |
| 2012 | 71 | #2548 |
| 2011 | 76 | #2416 |
| 2010 | 90 | #2167 |
| 2009 | 98 | #2076 |
| 2008 | 95 | #2122 |
| 2007 | 120 | #1784 |
| 2006 | 127 | #1664 |
| 2005 | 142 | #1479 |
| 2004 | 132 | #1520 |
| 2003 | 118 | #1625 |
| 2002 | 130 | #1468 |
| 2001 | 96 | #1833 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lani a popular girl name?
Lani ranked #1595 among girls in 2025 with 131 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2646.
When was the name Lani most popular?
Lani peaked in 1979, when 143 American girls received the name (ranked #995 that year). Since 1979 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lani?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,740 newborn American girls was named Lani. It scores 49/100 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.