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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kahlia

Kahlia

♀ Girl

Pronounced kah-LEE-ə /kɑˈli.ə/High

Meaning: Modern h-styled variant of Kalia — in Hawaiian, the name of a flowering tree, with 'beloved' a popular but loose glossLow

In 30 seconds: Kalia with a breath in the middle: the Hawaiian tree name — popularly glossed 'beloved' — in a spelling that slows the vowels down. Aaliyah's shadow falls warmly nearby.
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Origin LowAmerican, Hawaiian
MeaningModern h-styled variant of Kalia — in Hawaiian, the name of a flowering tree, with 'beloved' a popular but loose gloss
U.S. rank (2025)#3318 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births47 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2020
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,333

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202019762025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kahlia is a modern spelling of Kalia, which in Hawaiian names a native tree of the hibiscus family (and a Honolulu district); the gloss 'beloved' circulates in baby-name books with more affection than authority. For many American parents the name simply rides the melodic current between Kaylee and Aaliyah.

The h-spelling, echoing Kahlúa and Tahlia, appears thinly in 2000s-2020s records. It remains rare — island botany dressed for the mainland playground.

Did you know? Kalia names a Hawaiian hibiscus-family tree prized for canoe-building — and a Waikiki neighborhood — before it ever named a baby on the mainland.
Overall data confidence 60%
Hawaiian dictionary (Pukui & Elbert) — kalia — tree name; gloss loose

Variations

KaliaKaliahKahlea

Nicknames

KahLia

Famous Bearers

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If you like Kahlia…

Kalia— the Hawaiian tree name it respells
Tahlia— shares the h-breath spelling style
Aaliyah— the melodic standard its sound orbits
Malia— the fellow Hawaiian favorite mainstreamed by the Obamas

Explore names like Kahlia

By thememodern-spellinghawaiian-inspired
By meaningLoveFlower

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kahlia mean?

Kahlia is a variant of Kalia, the name of a Hawaiian flowering tree; the popular gloss 'beloved' is loose rather than documented.

How do you pronounce Kahlia?

It's said kah-LEE-ə /kɑˈli.ə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Kahlia a boy or girl name?

Kahlia is a girl's name.

How popular is Kahlia?

Kahlia is a rare, modern spelling in the U.S.

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