Lani
Girl name · #1595 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Lani? In official American birth records, Lani has been tracked continuously since 1917, giving it 108 years of documented American history.
Lani ranks #1595 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 131 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2646, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,740 girls born in 2025 was named Lani.
The 108-year story
Lani first appears in the Social Security records in 1917, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1979, when 143 girls were named Lani — good for #995 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Lani per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lani against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lani in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lani is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Lani will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Lani is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lani is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Lani is most common in FL (0.1 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Lani is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Lani
Statistically, parents drawn to Lani tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rani, Lindy, Rina, Liza, and Cori.
RaniLindyRinaLizaCoriJoiLorenaJoey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lani | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 131 | #1592 |
| 2024 | 105 | #1895 |
| 2023 | 96 | #2033 |
| 2022 | 98 | #1992 |
| 2021 | 92 | #2071 |
| 2020 | 82 | #2196 |
| 2019 | 81 | #2249 |
| 2018 | 73 | #2438 |
| 2017 | 78 | #2338 |
| 2016 | 80 | #2343 |
| 2015 | 67 | #2646 |
| 2014 | 72 | #2497 |
| 2013 | 74 | #2439 |
| 2012 | 71 | #2548 |
| 2011 | 76 | #2416 |
| 2010 | 90 | #2167 |
| 2009 | 98 | #2076 |
| 2008 | 95 | #2122 |
| 2007 | 120 | #1784 |
| 2006 | 127 | #1664 |
| 2005 | 142 | #1479 |
| 2004 | 132 | #1520 |
| 2003 | 118 | #1625 |
| 2002 | 130 | #1468 |
| 2001 | 96 | #1833 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Lani?
In official American birth records, the name Lani first appeared in 1917 (over 108 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 108 years.
Is Lani a popular girl name?
Lani ranked #1595 among girls in 2025 with 131 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2646.
When was the name Lani most popular?
Lani peaked in 1979, when 143 American girls received the name (ranked #995 that year). Since 1979 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lani?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,740 newborn American girls was named Lani. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.