Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Kehlani isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2015. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kehlani through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 14,532
- 51 boys · 14,481 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 1,986 babies
- 2025
- 1,986
- #149 for girls · #12,996 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +97%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,981 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 149 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 96.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 5 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (265).
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kehlani’s family of names
The ring: spellings.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Kehlani
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kehlani, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ailani
“woman who holds rank as high chief”
>99% girls
Aylani
>99% girls
Malani
>99% girls
Ailany
“woman who holds rank as high chief”
>99% girls
Jaylani
2% boys · 98% girls
Milani
Milani is a feminine given name.
>99% girls
Cataleya
Cataleya is a feminine given name. It is used in Spanish.
>99% girls
Kataleya
>99% girls