Meaning & origin
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1982. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Meilani through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,971
- 0 boys · 3,971 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 498 babies
- 2025
- 498
- #591 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +12%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 498 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 591 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 11.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (56). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,515 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.
Meilani’s family of names
In English usage, Meilani was borrowed from the Hawaiian form Mei.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Meilani, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ailani
“woman who holds rank as high chief”
>99% girls
Mililani
“caress” · “sky”
>99% girls
Ulani
“one who is cheerful”
>99% girls
Mahina
“daughter of the moonlight”
>99% girls
Wailani
“water” · “sky”
>99% girls
Healani
“mist” · “sky”
>99% girls
Roselani
“resembling a heavenly rose”
>99% girls
Miliani
“of the gentle caress”
>99% girls