Fun Facts About the Name Leylani
- More than 2 thousand babies named Leylani: U.S. records list 2,614 babies given the name Leylani from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Leylani Mean?
Leylani is generally treated as a modern spelling of the Hawaiian name Leilani. That name joins two Hawaiian words: lei, a garland or wreath of flowers, and lani, "sky" or "heaven" (the same word also carries the senses "royal" and "chief"). Read literally as a compound, it means "heavenly garland" or "heavenly lei"; the customary English translation is "heavenly flower." A related customary reading, "royal child," draws on the chiefly sense of lani rather than on the word's basic meaning of sky.
The Ley- spelling is an English respelling of the same first syllable, written to make the "ay" sound clear. The Arabic name Layla, usually explained as "night," is sometimes proposed as an influence on spellings of this type, but the -lani ending and the structure of the name point to the Hawaiian original for most uses.
Leylani Name History & Origins
Leilani belongs to a Hawaiian naming pattern in which lani serves as a final element, as in Kalani, Kailani, and Mililani. Since lani meant both "heavenly" and "royal," names containing it were associated with the sky and with chiefs.
The name reached a wide English-speaking audience through the song "Sweet Leilani," written by Harry Owens in 1934 and featured in the 1937 film Waikiki Wedding, where it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song's success brought the name to listeners far outside Hawaii.
The spelling Leylani is a later variant that replaces the Hawaiian-style Lei- with Ley-, matching the common English pronunciation of the first syllable (the "ay" of "day"). Spellings such as Leilanie, Laylani, and Leylanie also occur. Unlike Leilani, which is tied to the Hawaiian language and to Hawaiian naming custom, these respellings are best understood as English-language adaptations rather than as a name with a separate origin.
How Popular is the Name Leylani?
Leylani recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #971 in 2025.
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 | #971 | 263 | 0.0164% |
| 2024 | #1,111 | 220 | 0.0136% |
| 2023 | #1,144 | 213 | 0.0133% |
| 2022 | #1,015 | 256 | 0.0156% |
| 2021 | #1,100 | 225 | 0.0137% |
| 2020 | #1,221 | 188 | 0.0116% |
| 2019 | #1,449 | 153 | 0.0091% |
| 2018 | #1,714 | 121 | 0.0071% |
| 2017 | #1,571 | 140 | 0.0081% |
| 2016 | #1,949 | 103 | 0.0058% |
| 2015 | #2,291 | 82 | 0.0046% |
| 2014 | #2,244 | 84 | 0.0047% |
| 2013 | #2,860 | 60 | 0.0034% |
| 2012 | #2,418 | 77 | 0.0044% |
| 2011 | #3,160 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 2010 | #2,886 | 60 | 0.0034% |
| 2009 | #2,840 | 62 | 0.0034% |
| 2008 | #3,512 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 2007 | #3,364 | 50 | 0.0026% |
| 2006 | #3,766 | 41 | 0.0022% |
| 2005 | #5,193 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2004 | #5,016 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2003 | #5,333 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2002 | #7,661 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #7,566 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #12,576 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #12,129 | 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 Leylani Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
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.
✦ Leylani's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Leylani's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.