Lani

LAY-nee; LAH-nee
Variation of Elaine, English, Hawaiian
"bright, shining; sky, heavens, royal, majesty"

Lani Origin and Meaning

The name Lani is a girl's name meaning "bright, shining; sky, heavens, royal, majesty".

Simple but substantial, Lani is surprisingly underused considering the popularity of Lainey, Leilani, Lana, and Kehlani. A multi-cultural choice with both Hawaiian and English origins, it is also used in the Philippines, possibly as a variation of the modern Laarni, or as a twist on the word langit meaning "skies, heaven", which aligns with the Hawaiian meaning too.

Voice actress Lani Minella is one notable bearer, while the singer Lorde (born Ella) has Lani as one of her middle names.

# 990 in the US

Lani Rank in US Top 1000

Famous People Named Lani

  • Lani Groves
    South African musician
  • Leilani "Lani" Hall
    American singer and songwriter; wife of bandleader Herb Alpert
  • Lani Lazzari
    American teen entrepreneur of Simple Sugars
  • Lani Minella
    American voice actress
  • Kaye Lani Rae Rafko
    Miss America 1988

Lani in Pop Culture

  • Lani McKenzie
    character on TV's "Baywatch"
  • Lani Haluki
    character from Lisa Mcmann's "Unwanteds" book series