Leilani
lay-LAH-nee
The name Leilani is a Hawaiian compound formed from the elements lei, meaning “garland,” “wreath of flowers,” or “beloved child,” and lani, meaning “heaven,” “sky,” or “royal.” The combined sense is usually rendered as “heavenly garland,” “royal
child,” or “child of heaven.” Both elements carry deep significance in Hawaiian culture: lei denotes both the ceremonial flower garland and the symbolic notion of cherished offspring, while lani appears in many royal Hawaiian names, including those of
the queens Kapiʻolani and Liliʻuokalani.
What the name Leilani means
The name belongs to the broader Polynesian linguistic family. Cognates of lani appear across the Pacific, including rangi in Maori (also “sky”) and lagi in Samoan, all descending from the Proto-Polynesian *langi.
The name was historically borne by Hawaiian noblewomen and reserved for those of royal or chiefly descent in some traditions.
Following the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1893 and the islands’ annexation by the United States in 1898, Hawaiian names began to spread into mainland American consciousness.
The name entered American popular culture through music.
The 1937 film Waikiki Wedding, starring Bing Crosby, featured the song Sweet Leilani, written by Harry Owens, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and became one of the bestselling records of the decade.
Owens wrote the song for his newborn daughter Leilani. The song was covered by countless artists and remained a standard of Hawaiian popular music for decades.
In the United States, Leilani first entered the SSA top 1000 in 1948, the year after the Bing Crosby song’s enduring popularity.
It rose slowly through the mid-20th century, then accelerated dramatically after 2000 as part of the broader trend toward Polynesian and nature-themed names.
By 2010 it had crossed into the top 300, and by 2018 it reached the top 100. By 2023 it sat near rank 35. The name is also rising in Australia and New Zealand.
Contemporary bearers include American actress Leilani Sarelle and television personality Leilani Dowding.
The name’s combination of melodic phonetics, royal Hawaiian heritage, and floral symbolism has made it one of the most popular non-European feminine names in 21st-century American naming culture.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Leilani
Leilani - similar names
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