How to say it
lei · LA · ni
leɪˈlɑ.ni
Feminine
Leilani
Heavenly flowers, royal child
What it means
Hawaiian, lei ('garland, flowers' or 'beloved') + lani ('sky, heavens, royal'). The two halves combine to either 'heavenly flowers' or 'royal child' depending on emphasis.
Leilani is a Hawaiian compound name from lei (which means both 'garland of flowers' and 'beloved') and lani ('sky, heavens, royal one'). The combination produces either 'heavenly flowers' or 'royal child' depending on which reading of lei you favor. The 1937 song Sweet Leilani won the Best Original Song Oscar and gave the name mainland-US visibility. As a given name it's been steady in Hawaiian-American families since and surged in broader US use after 2000. It's been in the US top 200 since 2017. Lei, Lani, and Leila all circulate as shorts.
How to spell Leilani
The standard spelling is Leilani. Common variants include Lailani, but Leilani is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #59 in 2022, currently #60 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Lei, Lani, and Leila all circulate as shorts. Many Leilanis keep the full three syllables in formal contexts.
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.
- Sweet Leilani (1937 song) Harry Owens's Oscar-winning song from Waikiki Wedding, the cultural anchor on the US mainland
Spelling variants
- Lailani
Names with the same feeling
See Leilani from another angle
By meaning
Common questions
- What does the name Leilani mean?
- Hawaiian, lei ('garland, flowers' or 'beloved') + lani ('sky, heavens, royal'). The two halves combine to either 'heavenly flowers' or 'royal child' depending on emphasis.
- What does Leilani mean in Hawaiian?
- In Hawaiian, Leilani means "Heavenly flowers, royal child." Leilani is a Hawaiian compound name from lei (which means both 'garland of flowers' and 'beloved') and lani ('sky, heavens, royal one'). The combination produces either 'heavenly flowers' or 'royal child' depending on which reading of lei you favor. The 1937 song Sweet Leilani won the Best Original Song Oscar and gave the name mainland-US visibility. As a given name it's been steady in Hawaiian-American families since and surged in broader US use after 2000. It's been in the US top 200 since 2017. Lei, Lani, and Leila all circulate as shorts.
- How do you pronounce Leilani?
- Leilani is pronounced leɪˈlɑ.ni. Say it as lei-LA-ni, with the stress on the "la" syllable.
- How do you spell Leilani?
- The standard spelling is Leilani. Common spelling variants include Lailani.
- Is Leilani a boy or girl name?
- Leilani is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Leilani?
- Leilani ranked #60 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.