Iolani as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Iolani

What is the meaning of the name Iolani ?

The baby name Iolani is a Unisex name , 4 syllables long and is pronounced ee-oh-LAH-nee (IPA: /i.oˈlɑni/).

Iolani is Hawaiian in Origin.

Iolani (properly ʻIolani; EE-oh-LAH-nee) is a Hawaiian given name meaning “royal hawk” or “heavenly hawk.” It combines ʻio, the native Hawaiian hawk revered as a symbol of chiefly power, with lani, “sky, heaven; royal, exalted.” Variants include the diacritic-free Iolani, stylizations like 'Iolani, and shorter forms Lani or Io; related names include Leilani and Ilani, though their roots differ.

The name gained prominence through the Hawaiian monarchy: King Kamehameha IV bore the epithet ʻIolani, and the 19th-century ʻIolani Palace in Honolulu memorializes that royal association. Usage persisted in families across the islands and saw renewed favor during the Hawaiian cultural renaissance of the late 20th century, later spreading to the broader Pacific and mainland United States. Traditionally unisex in Hawaii, it is now more frequently given to girls in English-speaking contexts while retaining strong cultural resonance and a sense of nobility and natural grace.