How to say it
ka · LA · ni
/kəˈlɑː.ni/
Unisex
Kalani
The heavens, the sky
What it means
Hawaiian, ka ('the') plus lani ('sky, heaven, royal one'), so 'the heavens' or 'the chief.'
Kalani is a Hawaiian name, ka, 'the,' joined to lani, 'sky' or 'heaven,' a word that also means royalty, so it reads as 'the heavens' or 'the chief.' It is genuinely unisex and belongs to the popular -lani family with Leilani, Kailani, and Kehlani, all of which have spread well beyond the islands. Lofty and flowing, said kah-LAH-nee.
Popularity over time
Feminine: peaked at #339 in 2021, currently #387 in 2025.
Masculine: peaked at #1731 in 2006, currently #4792 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Worth knowing
Unisex; part of the Hawaiian -lani sky-and-royalty family.
- Pronunciation
kah-LAH-nee.
Spelling variants
- Kalanie
- Kealani
Names with the same feeling
See Kalani from another angle
By meaning