Fun Facts About the Name Iolani
- 102 babies named Iolani: U.S. records list 102 babies given the name Iolani from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Iolani Mean?
Iolani is a Hawaiian name commonly translated as royal hawk. It is a compound of ʻio, the Hawaiian word for hawk, and lani, which can mean sky, heaven, or royal/chiefly. The usual English meaning, royal hawk, reflects the royal or chiefly sense of lani; a more literal element-by-element rendering would be heavenly hawk or hawk of the sky. The spelling ʻIolani begins with the ʻokina, the glottal stop used in Hawaiian orthography.
Iolani Name History & Origins
The name comes from the Hawaiian language, a Polynesian language in which personal names are often meaningful compounds of ordinary words. ʻIolani is not a form of a European name; it developed within Hawaiian naming practice from the elements ʻio and lani. Its documented associations are with Hawaiian royalty. King Kamehameha IV, born Alexander Liholiho and known as ʻIolani, reigned from 1855 to 1863. ʻIolani School in Honolulu, founded in 1863 by Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, carries his name. ʻIolani Palace, the royal residence completed in 1882 under King Kalākaua, also uses the name and is associated with Kamehameha IV. The name remains in use as a given name in Hawaii.
How Popular is the Name Iolani?
Iolani has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2013. Its best rank was #9,840 in 2013.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #15,817 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #16,169 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #10,597 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #13,435 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #17,495 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #11,336 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #9,840 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #11,635 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #17,826 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #18,033 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #14,250 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #16,165 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #16,230 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #14,550 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #12,551 | 7 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Iolani Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Iolani's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Iolani's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.