Nalani
Girl name · #414 in 2025 · Uniqueness 37/100
In 2025, 754 baby girls were named Nalani, placing it at #414 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1280, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,387 girls born in 2025 was named Nalani.
Babies named Nalani per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 79-year story
Nalani first appears in the Social Security records in 1946, when 7 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 754 babies and a rank of #414. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nalani against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nalani in class?
Nalani scores 37 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Nalani is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nalani is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Nalanis were TX (93), CA (65), FL (49), NC (45), GA (39). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Nalani
Statistically, parents drawn to Nalani tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kalani, Malani, Jaylani, Milani, and Naylani.
KalaniMalaniJaylaniMilaniNaylaniArmaniMeilaniLaylani
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nalani | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 754 | #414 |
| 2024 | 577 | #530 |
| 2023 | 507 | #591 |
| 2022 | 549 | #554 |
| 2021 | 503 | #595 |
| 2020 | 491 | #593 |
| 2019 | 456 | #640 |
| 2018 | 413 | #706 |
| 2017 | 335 | #813 |
| 2016 | 269 | #987 |
| 2015 | 190 | #1280 |
| 2014 | 166 | #1387 |
| 2013 | 184 | #1281 |
| 2012 | 223 | #1111 |
| 2011 | 199 | #1204 |
| 2010 | 211 | #1153 |
| 2009 | 158 | #1469 |
| 2008 | 137 | #1642 |
| 2007 | 183 | #1326 |
| 2006 | 136 | #1581 |
| 2005 | 130 | #1565 |
| 2004 | 134 | #1498 |
| 2003 | 123 | #1561 |
| 2002 | 84 | #2046 |
| 2001 | 68 | #2331 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nalani a popular girl name?
Nalani ranked #414 among girls in 2025 with 754 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #1280.
When was the name Nalani most popular?
Nalani peaked in 2025, when 754 American girls received the name (ranked #414 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Nalani?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,387 newborn American girls was named Nalani. It scores 37/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.