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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kehlani

Kehlani

♂ Boy

Pronounced kuh-LAH-nee /kəˈlɑ.ni/Medium

Meaning: A modern name styled on Hawaiian Kalani, 'the sky; the heavens' (ka, 'the', plus lani, 'sky; royal'). It became widely known through the American singer Kehlani and is now strongly a girl's name; used here for a boy, we note the lean clearly. Routes for the spelling are uncertain.Low

In 30 seconds: Sky-rooted and modern: Kehlani echoes Hawaiian Kalani, 'the heavens' (said 'kuh-LAH-nee'). Strongly a girl's name today — we note the lean.
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Origin LowHawaiian, English
MeaningA modern name styled on Hawaiian Kalani, 'the sky; the heavens' (ka, 'the', plus lani, 'sky; royal'). It became widely known through the American singer Kehlani and is now strongly a girl's name; used here for a boy, we note the lean clearly. Routes for the spelling are uncertain.
U.S. rank (2024)#13252 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2019
Total births (all-time)≈ 46

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201920162024

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

Kehlani is a modern name shaped on Hawaiian Kalani, 'the sky; the heavens', with lani also carrying a sense of royalty. Its rise in the U.S. followed the singer Kehlani, and it now reads strongly as a girl's name — a lean we note. Used for a boy it is very rare (said 'kuh-LAH-nee').

For boys it appears only rarely in the U.S., against far heavier girls' use. Rare, airy, and cross-sex.

Did you know? Kehlani rose fast after the American singer Kehlani, and it is now overwhelmingly a girl's name — which we note. Its sound looks to Hawaiian Kalani, 'the sky; the heavens', though the spelling itself is modern.
Overall data confidence 34%
References — Kehlani — Hawaiian-styled Kalani 'the sky'; strongly a girl's name; routes uncertain

Variations

KalaniKailaniKelani

Nicknames

KehLani

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kehlani…

Kalani— the Hawaiian name behind it
Leilani— a close cousin in sound
Kailani— a like sky-rooted name
Kaleo— a like Hawaiian pick

Explore names like Kehlani

By themeuncertainmoderncross-sex

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kehlani mean?

Kehlani is styled on Hawaiian Kalani, 'the sky; the heavens'. The spelling is modern and the routes are uncertain, which we note.

How do you pronounce Kehlani?

It's said kuh-LAH-nee /kəˈlɑ.ni/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Kehlani a boy or girl name?

Kehlani is used here as a boy's name, but it is strongly a girl's name today — we note the lean.

How popular is Kehlani?

Kehlani is rare for boys in the U.S., with much heavier use for girls.

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