Lani
A female given name from Hawaiian.
Every Lani since 1917 — 7,556 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lani
Lani is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,603 in 2025 with 131 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1917, 7,556 American babies have been named Lani. Its peak came in 1979, when 143 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lani stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lani year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 131 | #1,603 | — | — |
| 2024 | 105 | #1,905 | — | — |
| 2023 | 96 | #2,042 | 5 | #13,359 |
| 2022 | 98 | #1,999 | 6 | #11,704 |
| 2021 | 92 | #2,082 | — | — |
| 2020 | 82 | #2,210 | — | — |
| 2019 | 81 | #2,262 | — | — |
| 2018 | 73 | #2,451 | — | — |
| 2017 | 78 | #2,349 | — | — |
| 2016 | 80 | #2,356 | — | — |
| 2015 | 67 | #2,673 | — | — |
| 2014 | 72 | #2,506 | — | — |
| 2013 | 74 | #2,451 | — | — |
| 2012 | 71 | #2,554 | — | — |
| 2011 | 76 | #2,429 | — | — |
| 2010 | 90 | #2,180 | — | — |
| 2009 | 98 | #2,085 | — | — |
| 2008 | 95 | #2,131 | — | — |
| 2007 | 120 | #1,790 | — | — |
| 2006 | 127 | #1,668 | — | — |
| 2005 | 142 | #1,485 | — | — |
| 2004 | 132 | #1,524 | 6 | #10,789 |
| 2003 | 118 | #1,636 | — | — |
| 2002 | 130 | #1,474 | — | — |
| 2001 | 96 | #1,845 | 5 | #11,610 |
| 2000 | 86 | #1,959 | — | — |
| 1995 | 67 | #2,039 | — | — |
| 1990 | 89 | #1,660 | — | — |
| 1985 | 79 | #1,544 | 5 | #7,129 |
| 1980 | 142 | #1,020 | — | — |
| 1975 | 76 | #1,391 | — | — |
| 1970 | 133 | #953 | 5 | #5,126 |
| 1965 | 57 | #1,471 | 5 | #4,219 |
| 1960 | 105 | #1,050 | 5 | #4,353 |
| 1955 | 80 | #1,117 | 6 | #3,714 |
| 1950 | 76 | #1,058 | 9 | #2,681 |
| 1945 | 67 | #930 | — | — |
| 1940 | 37 | #1,209 | 8 | #2,774 |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,377 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lani mean?
A female given name from Hawaiian.
How popular is the name Lani in 2025?
Lani ranked #1,603 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 131 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lani?
7,556 babies have been named Lani in the United States since 1917, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lani most popular?
Lani peaked in 1979, when 143 newborns received the name.
Is Lani a boy or girl name?
Lani is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lani rising or falling?
Lani is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.