Given name
Hanalei
“Bay”·“lei, necklace”
Hanalei is a unisex given name from Hawaiian. It is used in Hawaiian.
Original HawaiianHanalē
Meaning & origin
What it means
Hanalei is built from elements meaning “Bay” and “lei, necklace”.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Where it comes from
Hanalei comes from Hawaiian, and ultimately from Hawaiian.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
Built from Hawaiian Hana- + lei (“lei, necklace”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2000. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Hanalei through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 288
- 16 boys · 272 girls
- Most popular year
- 2019
- 28 babies
- 2025
- 11
- #9,079 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −20%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 9,079 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 17.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 23 in 2019. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 281 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Hanalei’s family of names
In Hawaiian usage, Hanalei has a related form in Hanalē.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Hanalei, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Healani
“mist” · “sky”
>99% girls
Hawaii
“from the homeland; from the state of Hawaii”
>99% girls
Halia
“the remembrance of one who was loved”
>99% girls
Haukea
“of the white snow”
>99% girls
Haimi
“one who searches for the truth”
>99% girls
Haumea
Haumea is a feminine given name from Hawaiian. It is used in Hawaiian.
>99% girls
Kahealani
“the” · “mist; to call, name”
>99% girls
Haleigha
“born with the rising sun”
>99% girls