Leiani
Hawaiian baby name meaning "heavenly and graceful flowers".
Name Census estimates that about 409 living Americans carry the first name Leiani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Leiani today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leiani births was 2023 (41 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leiani. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Leiani with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
409
~ 1 in 838,030 Americans
Peak year
2023
41 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,780
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Leiani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Leiani from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 188 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leiani 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 Leiani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Leianis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, Florida, Georgia recorded the most babies named Leiani, while Georgia, Florida, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Leiani
The given name Leiani has its origins in the Polynesian languages spoken across the islands of the Pacific Ocean. It is believed to have emerged sometime between the 10th and 14th centuries CE, during the period of intense maritime exploration and settlement by the Polynesian peoples.
The name Leiani is derived from the combination of two words in the Tahitian language: "lei," meaning a garland or wreath of flowers, and "ani," meaning beautiful or radiant. Thus, the name Leiani can be interpreted to mean "beautiful garland" or "radiant wreath," reflecting the cultural significance of floral adornments in Polynesian societies.
While the name does not appear to be directly referenced in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its linguistic roots and cultural symbolism are deeply intertwined with the traditions and beliefs of the Polynesian peoples. The earliest recorded examples of the name Leiani can be found in genealogical records and oral histories passed down through generations in various Polynesian communities.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Leiani. One such figure was Leiani Nui, a revered scholar and navigator from the Hawaiian Islands, who lived in the late 18th century and played a significant role in preserving and transmitting traditional navigational knowledge.
Another notable Leiani was Leiani Kamehameha (1805-1871), a member of the Hawaiian royal family and a prominent figure in the court of King Kamehameha III. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her efforts to preserve Hawaiian cultural traditions.
In the realm of literature, Leiani Kalama (1868-1947) was a celebrated Hawaiian poet and songwriter whose works celebrated the beauty of the islands and the resilience of the Hawaiian people.
Leiani Sarceaux (1921-2001), a renowned artist from French Polynesia, gained international recognition for her vibrant paintings depicting the landscapes and people of the Pacific islands.
More recently, Leiani Oahu (born 1985) is a contemporary Hawaiian musician and composer whose work blends traditional Polynesian melodies with modern influences, carrying on the rich musical heritage of her culture.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Leiani throughout history, each contributing to the cultural tapestry of the Polynesian peoples and leaving an indelible mark on their respective fields.
People
Leiani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leiani as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Leiani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leiani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 409 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leiani 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 838,030 US residents.
Is Leiani a common name?
We classify Leiani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 412 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leiani most popular?
The single biggest year for Leiani was 2023, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leiani is about 9 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 Leiani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Leiani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leiani 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 Leiani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Leiani 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 Leiani 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 people have Leiani as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.