Leilani Girl

Popularity: #59 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: lay-LAH-nee /leɪˈlɑːni/

Origin: Hawaiian

Meaning: heavenly flower

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Leilani has its roots in the Hawaiian language, where it is composed of two elements: "lei," meaning "flower" or "garland," and "lani," meaning "heaven" or "sky." This combination can be interpreted as "heavenly flower" or "royal flower," reflecting the natural beauty and spiritual significance often associated with flowers in Hawaiian culture. The name is a relatively modern addition to the lexicon of names used in English-speaking contexts, having entered the broader cultural consciousness primarily in the 20th century as interest in Hawaiian culture grew, particularly after World War II.

Historically, the use of Hawaiian names like Leilani can be traced back to the Polynesian settlement of the Hawaiian Islands, which began around the 4th century CE. The name itself, however, gained prominence outside of Hawaii in the 20th century, coinciding with the rise of tourism and the global fascination with Hawaiian culture.

The name is often associated with the lush landscapes and floral beauty of the islands, which have been celebrated in various forms of art and literature. Culturally, Leilani embodies the connection between nature and spirituality that is prevalent in Hawaiian traditions.

Flowers are often used in ceremonies and as symbols of love, beauty, and respect. The name has also been embraced in various forms of media, contributing to its resonance in popular culture.

While diminutive forms or variations of the name may exist, Leilani itself remains a significant representation of Hawaiian heritage and the natural world, encapsulating a sense of beauty and tranquility.

Famous people named Leilani

In this section, you will find notable people named Leilani. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Leilani who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Leilani who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Leilani Münter is a race car driver and environmental activist best known for competing in the NASCAR series and advocating for sustainability.

Leilani Farha is a lawyer and advocate best known for her work as the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing.

Leilani Bishop is a singer-songwriter best known for her contributions to the music scene in Hawaii.

Fictional characters named Leilani

The following list of fictional characters named Leilani is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Leilani is a fictional character from the animated series Lilo & Stitch: The Series. She is a close friend of Lilo and often joins her in various adventures involving Stitch and other experiments.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Leilani, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

LaniMaliaKaimanaNoheaKeanuAilani

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Leilani. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

LeilaLianaLailaLinaLaylaLinaeLeina

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Leilani was first seen in the United States in 1917.

Leilani has ranked as high as #158 nationally, which occurred in 2022, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Leilani has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Leilani is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Leilani was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Leilani.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 3,792 0 3,792
2024 3,365 0 3,365
2023 3,562 0 3,562
2022 3,868 0 3,868
2021 3,485 0 3,485
2020 2,892 0 2,892
2019 2,709 6 2,703
2018 2,519 0 2,519
2017 2,284 0 2,284
2016 1,971 0 1,971
2015 1,807 0 1,807
2014 1,540 0 1,540
2013 1,391 0 1,391
2012 1,415 0 1,415
2011 1,304 0 1,304
2010 1,226 0 1,226
2009 1,243 0 1,243
2008 1,231 0 1,231
2007 1,188 0 1,188
2006 1,067 0 1,067
2005 959 5 954
2004 944 7 937
2003 890 7 883
2002 660 0 660
2001 593 0 593
2000 505 0 505
1999 375 0 375
1998 296 0 296
1997 275 0 275
1996 209 0 209
1995 165 0 165
1994 194 0 194
1993 186 0 186
1992 154 0 154
1991 155 0 155
1990 157 0 157
1989 148 0 148
1988 144 0 144
1987 140 0 140
1986 159 0 159
1985 154 0 154
1984 141 0 141
1983 169 0 169
1982 173 0 173
1981 203 0 203
1980 223 0 223
1979 153 0 153
1978 177 0 177
1977 146 0 146
1976 139 0 139
1975 110 0 110
1974 128 0 128
1973 122 0 122
1972 95 0 95
1971 120 0 120
1970 125 0 125
1969 121 0 121
1968 115 0 115
1967 107 0 107
1966 86 0 86
1965 92 0 92
1964 84 0 84
1963 98 0 98
1962 117 0 117
1961 99 0 99
1960 92 0 92
1959 80 0 80
1958 99 0 99
1957 86 0 86
1956 87 0 87
1955 59 0 59
1954 52 0 52
1953 56 0 56
1952 59 0 59
1951 61 0 61
1950 74 0 74
1949 66 0 66
1948 74 0 74
1947 75 0 75
1946 74 0 74
1945 72 0 72
1944 80 0 80
1943 97 0 97
1942 99 0 99
1941 88 0 88
1940 85 0 85
1939 98 0 98
1938 101 0 101
1937 81 0 81
1936 8 0 8
1935 9 0 9
1934 11 0 11
1933 7 0 7
1932 7 0 7
1931 14 0 14
1930 9 0 9
1929 11 0 11
1926 5 0 5
1925 10 0 10
1924 9 0 9
1923 6 0 6
1922 8 0 8
1921 7 0 7
1919 6 0 6
1917 5 0 5

Top States for Leilani (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 605
18%
CA 508
15%
FL 219
7%
NY 151
5%
AZ 128
4%
IL 125
4%
GA 125
4%
NC 118
4%
CO 78
2%
VA 77
2%
PA 77
2%
OH 76
2%
NJ 71
2%
MI 60
2%
WA 57
2%
IN 56
2%
MD 56
2%
MO 55
2%
SC 52
2%
TN 51
2%
WI 48
1%
NV 43
1%
AL 42
1%
CT 37
1%
MA 37
1%
OK 33
1%
KS 33
1%
LA 33
1%
NM 27
1%
MS 26
1%
AR 26
1%
UT 24
1%
OR 24
1%
KY 24
1%
MN 23
1%
NE 19
1%
HI 18
1%
IA 18
1%
DE 16
0%
ID 13
0%
WV 6
0%
ME 6
0%
DC 5
0%
AK 5
0%
RI 5
0%
SD 5
0%