Fun Facts About the Name Ulani
- 667 babies named Ulani: U.S. records list 667 babies given the name Ulani from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ulani Mean?
Ulani has no firmly documented etymology, and no single language of origin is established. The explanation most often offered connects it to Hawaiian, where lani means "sky," "heaven," or "royal" and appears in many traditional names. A longer Hawaiian name, Ululani, joins ulu ("growth," "inspiration") with lani, and Ulani is sometimes described as a shortened or related form of it, though that step is not documented. Read literally, such a compound would mean something like "heavenly inspiration," but that is an interpretation of the longer name rather than a recorded meaning of Ulani itself. Because the proposed derivations disagree and no early written form of Ulani is attested, the safest statement is that its meaning is uncertain.
Ulani Name History & Origins
Ulani is uncommon as a given name and is not tied to a single documented tradition. In Hawaii, names containing lani are traditional and often associated with aliʻi, the chiefly class; the same element appears in the name of Queen Liliʻuokalani, where lani carries the sense of "royal" or "heavenly." The Hawaiian name Ululani is also attested in Hawaiian history. Whether Ulani developed from Ululani, was formed independently from the same elements, or came into English use for other reasons cannot be determined from the available record. In English-speaking countries, including the United States, Ulani remains a rare name without a documented historical event, figure, or work behind its use. Reports that it is of African origin circulate, but no specific language or meaning is consistently named, so that claim cannot be confirmed.
How Popular is the Name Ulani?
Ulani 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 2023. Its best rank was #2,309 in 2023.
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 | #2,749 | 63 | 0.0039% |
| 2024 | #2,550 | 70 | 0.0043% |
| 2023 | #2,309 | 80 | 0.0050% |
| 2022 | #3,411 | 47 | 0.0029% |
| 2021 | #2,604 | 67 | 0.0041% |
| 2020 | #3,835 | 38 | 0.0024% |
| 2019 | #4,894 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 2018 | #5,137 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2017 | #5,808 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2016 | #5,970 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2015 | #8,906 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #12,991 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #9,575 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #10,383 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #8,588 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #12,210 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #20,030 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #8,497 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2007 | #8,078 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #11,371 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #10,876 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #11,579 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #6,283 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2002 | #7,423 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #10,979 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #9,140 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #8,201 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #14,024 | 6 | 0.0003% |
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 Ulani Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have talent, charm and luck. You can succeed in art and in any educational occupation. You attract peculiar experiences. Your power and protection lies in spiritual side of life. You are an enthusiastic collector and you will be tenacious in holding onto the things you accumulate. You have a good memory and should make an effort to have a positive attitude. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Ulani's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ulani's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.