Hiilani
Hawaiian given name meaning "to make a wreath or lei".
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the first name Hiilani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hiilani today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hiilani births was 2016 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hiilani. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
122
~ 1 in 2,809,462 Americans
Peak year
2016
11 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2021 SSA rank
#12,683
Tracked since 1994
Popularity
Hiilani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hiilani from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 53 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hiilani by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Hiilani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hiilanis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hiilani
The name Hiilani originates from the Hawaiian language and culture. It is a combination of the Hawaiian words "hii," meaning "to carry," and "lani," meaning "heaven" or "heavenly." The name can be translated to mean "heavenly burden" or "carried by heaven."
In Hawaiian mythology, Hiilani was the name of a powerful goddess associated with the sea and fertility. She was revered by ancient Hawaiians and was believed to bless those who bore her name with strength, resilience, and protection.
The earliest recorded use of the name Hiilani dates back to the 18th century, when it was given to the daughter of a prominent Hawaiian chief. Throughout the centuries, the name has been associated with royalty and nobility in Hawaiian society.
One of the most famous bearers of the name Hiilani was Hiilani Kanakaole, a renowned Hawaiian cultural practitioner and hula master who lived from 1881 to 1954. She played a pivotal role in preserving and perpetuating the traditions of Hawaiian dance and chant.
Another notable figure with the name Hiilani was Hiilani Young, a Hawaiian singer and songwriter born in 1957. She gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s for her contemporary interpretations of traditional Hawaiian music.
In the world of literature, Hiilani was the name of a character in the novel "The Hawaiians" by James A. Michener, published in 1959. The character, a strong-willed Hawaiian woman, was central to the book's exploration of Hawaiian culture and history.
Hiilani Hanohano was a celebrated Hawaiian athlete who excelled in various sports, including volleyball and surfing. Born in 1968, she was recognized for her exceptional athleticism and her dedication to promoting Hawaiian cultural values.
Hiilani Keiki, born in 1974, is a respected Hawaiian artist and educator. Her work, which includes paintings, sculptures, and installations, often explores themes of cultural identity, spirituality, and environmental stewardship.
The name Hiilani has endured through the centuries as a symbol of Hawaiian heritage and cultural pride. Its deep roots in mythology and its association with notable figures have contributed to its enduring significance in the Hawaiian community.
People
Hiilani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hiilani as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hiilani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hiilani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 122 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hiilani going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,809,462 US residents.
Is Hiilani a common name?
We classify Hiilani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 124 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hiilani most popular?
The single biggest year for Hiilani was 2016, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hiilani is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Hiilani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hiilani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hiilani in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Hiilani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hiilani in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Hiilani can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Hiilani?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.