Nolani
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially deriving from the word "noel".
Name Census estimates that about 185 living Americans carry the first name Nolani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nolani today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nolani births was 2021 (46 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nolani. 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
185
~ 1 in 1,852,726 Americans
Peak year
2021
46 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,975
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Nolani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nolani from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 131 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
Nolani 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 Nolani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nolanis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nolani
The name Nolani is a relatively modern name with uncertain origins. It is believed to be a feminine variation of the Italian name Nolan, which itself is derived from the Old Irish word nuall, meaning "famous" or "celebrated." The earliest known usage of the name Nolani dates back to the late 20th century, although it is possible that it was used sporadically before then.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Nolani is Nolani Aranjuez, a Filipino actress born in 1983. She is known for her roles in various Filipino television series and films, including "Mara Clara" and "Pangako Sa'Yo." Another notable figure with this name is Nolani Byrne, an Australian model and social media influencer born in 1996.
In the literary world, the name Nolani is associated with the character Nolani Reine, a protagonist in the novel "The Seventh Sense" by American author Rebecca Cantrell, published in 2013. The book is set in the aftermath of World War II and follows Nolani Reine's journey as she navigates the dangerous world of espionage and intrigue.
While the name Nolani is relatively uncommon, it has been used throughout history by a few notable individuals. One such person is Nolani Marcelino, a Brazilian artist known for her vibrant and colorful abstract paintings. She was born in 1965 and has exhibited her work in various galleries around the world.
Another individual with the name Nolani is Nolani Valerie, a French fashion designer who rose to prominence in the 1990s. She was born in 1968 and is renowned for her innovative and avant-garde clothing designs, which have been featured in numerous fashion shows and magazines.
Despite its relatively recent emergence, the name Nolani has gained popularity in certain regions, particularly in parts of Europe and North America. However, due to its unique and distinctive nature, it remains a relatively uncommon name globally.
People
Nolani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nolani as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nolani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nolani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 185 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nolani 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 1,852,726 US residents.
Is Nolani a common name?
We classify Nolani as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 186 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nolani most popular?
The single biggest year for Nolani was 2021, when 46 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nolani is about 6 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 Nolani in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nolani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nolani 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 Nolani still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nolani 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 Nolani 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 common is the name Nolani?
See how many people have the name Nolani on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.