Kalei as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Kalei

What is the meaning of the name Kalei ?

The baby name Kalei is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced kah-LAY (IPA: /kəˈleɪ/ or /kɑːˈleɪ/).

Kalei is Hawaiian in Origin.

Kalei is a unisex Hawaiian given name built from ka “the” + lei “garland, wreath; sweetheart, beloved.” It therefore carries the senses “the lei” and, by poetic extension, “beloved/adorned one.” In Hawaiian culture the lei symbolizes affection, welcome, and honor, so Kalei evokes cherished ties and celebratory beauty.

Documented in Hawaiian-language records from the 19th century and still common in the Islands, Kalei spread more widely in the United States during the late 20th century alongside interest in Hawaiian names. Orthographic variants include Kālei (with a long a) and forms embedded in longer traditional names beginning Kalei-, such as Kaleikaumaka. In English-speaking contexts, Kalei is sometimes treated as a streamlined cousin or phonetic variant of Kaylee and its spellings (Kaley, Kailey, Kaleigh), though its Hawaiian etymology is distinct. Related Hawaiian names built on lei include Leilani and Leialoha.