Given name & surname
Kanani
“the beautiful girl”
Kanani is used as a given name and a surname. One Hawaiian interpretation is “the beautiful girl.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hawaiian interpretation is “the beautiful girl.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hawaiian.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1964. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kanani through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 900
- 5 boys · 895 girls
- Most popular year
- 2000
- 31 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #8,096 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +30%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 13 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,096 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 30.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 31 in 2000. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 810 as a first name in 2020; 471 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kanani’s family of names
Kanani has a related form in Kananea. Kanani has a related form in Kananeah. Kanani has a related form in Kananee.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Kanani, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kealani
“white” · “sky”
>99% girls
Kamalani
“child” · “sky”
>99% girls
Kanoelani
“the” · “mist”
>99% girls
Kawehi
“the” · “adornment”
>99% girls
Kawena
“the” · “glow”
7% boys · 93% girls
Kaili
“a god”
>99% girls
Aolani
“cloud from heaven”
>99% girls
Moani
“a fragrance on the gentle breeze”
>99% girls