Kailani

How to say it

/kaɪˈlɑː.ni/

What it means

Hawaiian, kai ('sea') plus lani ('sky, heaven'), so 'sea and sky.'

Kailani is a Hawaiian compound, kai 'sea' joined to lani 'sky' or 'heaven,' a name that holds the whole horizon. It belongs to the popular -lani family alongside Leilani, Kalani, and Kehlani, all of which have spread well beyond the islands in the last decade. It is flowing and elemental, equally at home on the water and looking up. Said ky-LAH-nee, with Lani as the short.

Heads-up notes

• Pronunciation

  ky-LAH-nee; Lani is the natural short.

• Spelling

  Part of the Hawaiian -lani group with Leilani, Kalani, and Kehlani.

Who's worn it

Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.

• Kailani a Hawaiian sea-and-sky name rising fast on the US mainland

Spelling variants

• Kailany
• Kalani
• Kaileigh

Names with the same feeling

• Leilani Heavenly flowers, royal child
• Kaylani Heavenly, royal
• Ailani High chief, exalted leader
• Kehlani Sea and sky
• Kaia Pure, or 'sea'

See Kailani from another angle