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Leilani as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Leilani

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The baby name Leilani is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /leɪˈlɑːni/ (lay-LAH-nee).

Leilani is Hawaiian in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Hawaiian
Pronunciation: /leɪˈlɑːni/ (lay-LAH-nee)

What is the meaning of the name Leilani ?

The baby name Leilani is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /leɪˈlɑːni/ (lay-LAH-nee).

Leilani is Hawaiian in Origin.

Leilani is a Hawaiian given name formed from lei “garland, wreath; lei of flowers” and lani “heaven, sky; royal, exalted,” yielding meanings such as “heavenly garland,” “lei of the heavens,” or “royal child adorned with lei.” In Hawaiian, lani often signals reverence or sacredness, giving the name a tender, poetic aura tied to natural beauty and honor.

The name entered English-language circles in the early 20th century and spread widely after the 1937 hit song "Sweet Leilani," which won an Academy Award and boosted U.S. usage. It has since enjoyed periodic revivals, rising again in the 2000s to 2020s with broader interest in Island heritage names. Common spellings and variants include Lailani, Laylani, Leilany, and Leilanie; familiar short forms are Lei and Lani. Related Hawaiian names sharing -lani include Noelani, Mahinalani, and Kalani. Cross-culturally friendly, Leilani preserves its lilting vowels while keeping its core sense of beauty honored by the heavens.

Leilani has the following similar or variant Names

Leilani – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
FJ Girls 0 #6 4 583
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
United States Girls 2024 #66 3,354 8,487
PH 0 #87 10 5,607
QA 0 #106 1 7,011
BN Girls 0 #111 4 5,459
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
Switzerland Girls 2024 #130 6 1,786
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
CR 0 #165 1 5,526
PR Girls 0 #166 2 3,171
Sweden Girls 2021 #181 3 1,666
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
NA Girls 0 #214 11 7,146
GR Girls 0 #248 2 6,293
JP Girls 0 #248 4 6,592
Canada Girls 2024 #257 29 2,795
MO Girls 0 #258 6 7,056
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
JM Girls 0 #276 3 7,507
SG 0 #279 4 11,010
SA 0 #286 10 10,560
QA Girls 0 #306 11 15,378
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
GT 0 #338 1 5,948
JO Girls 0 #338 2 7,570
PH Girls 0 #340 51 13,098
CN Girls 0 #357 3 8,829
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
France Girls 2021 #388 18 3,185
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
OM Girls 0 #423 2 15,987
ZA 0 #433 15 14,421
CL 0 #434 1 6,867
MX 0 #438 8 8,339
PA Girls 0 #471 11 9,861
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
KW Girls 0 #492 24 19,177
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
CR Girls 0 #514 19 11,342
RU Girls 0 #521 3 11,913
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
AE Girls 0 #528 26 20,968
GT Girls 0 #540 2 7,500
PS Girls 0 #545 3 10,981
SG Girls 0 #568 19 18,916
BH 0 #585 3 17,937
HK Girls 0 #592 24 16,104
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
BO Girls 0 #649 3 9,488
LB 0 #690 1 13,263
Finland Girls 2026 #729 10 3,895
NG Girls 0 #825 2 15,093
MX Girls 0 #861 339 17,781
SA Girls 0 #885 51 25,931
United States Boys 2019 #886 6 7,235
CL Girls 0 #913 3 14,098
EG Boys 0 #924 2 15,035
NL Girls 0 #946 10 5,933
Spain Girls 0 #970 14 5,561
CO Boys 0 #981 1 15,656
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
ZA Girls 0 #1,003 139 25,928
PE Girls 0 #1,008 3 14,861
EG Girls 0 #1,009 1 14,742
MX Boys 0 #1,029 5 16,355
MY Girls 0 #1,065 8 24,821
CO Girls 0 #1,149 4 16,140
MY Boys 0 #1,182 1 25,439
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
TR 0 #1,253 2 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,408 39 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,691 1 28,008

Leilani is popular in 53 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
United States
Switzerland
France
New York City (Hispanic), United States

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People also ask about Leilani

Leilani is predominantly a girl's name.
Leilani is a 3 syllable name, pronounced /leɪˈlɑːni/ (lay-LAH-nee).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Lani, Lei, Lei'ani, Leilanie, Leilanee and Leylani.
Across languages, Leilani has these equivalents: Celeste (Latin, 'heavenly'), Heaven (English), Lani (Hawaiian, 'heaven/sky/royalty').
Yes, very popular — Leilani ranked #66 in United States in 2024, and appears in official birth registries across 6 countries.
Leilani ranks highest in United States (#66 in 2024).
Leilani's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #298 in 2014 to #257 in 2024 in Canada.