Given name & surname · also Greek
Nani
“a charming woman”·“one who is beautiful”
Nani is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a charming woman” and “one who is beautiful”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Original GreekΝάνι
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a charming woman” and “one who is beautiful”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Greek and Hawaiian naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1922. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nani through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 693
- 0 boys · 693 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 39 babies
- 2025
- 25
- #5,186 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +24%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 25 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,186 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 23.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,174 as a first name in 2020; 259 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.
Nani’s family of names
Nani has a related form in Nanea. Nani has a related form in Nanie. Nani has a related form in Nany.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Naneavariant
- Nanyavariant
- Nanievariant
- Naniyahvariant
- Naneahvariant
- Naniahvariant
- Naniyavariant
- Naniavariant
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Nani
- Nani BregvadzeGeorgian singerborn 1936
- Nani JiménezSpanish actressborn 1981
- Nani BoiNigerian writerborn 1983
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nani, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Anani
“from the orange tree”
8% boys · 92% girls
Nalani
“a calmness of the skies; heaven's calm”
>99% girls
Nefeli
“cloud”
>99% girls
Ulani
“one who is cheerful”
>99% girls
Aulani
“the king's messenger”
>99% girls
Mililani
“caress” · “sky”
>99% girls
Tansy
“an aromatic yellow flower” · “having immortality”
>99% girls
Ani
“one who is very beautiful”
>99% girls