Kalani is from the Hawaiian *ka* (the) + *lani* (heavens, royalty, chief) — "the heavens" or "the royal one." **A modern American baby name in the broader Hawaiian-heritage aesthetic**. **Kalani in Hawaiian royal tradition** — *lani* was reserved for Hawaiian *aliʻi* (royalty); Hawaiian monarchs Kalākaua, Kamehameha, and Liliʻuokalani all incorporated *lani* into their full royal names; the Hawaiian Kingdom (1795-1893) elevated Kalani as one of the most-revered honorific name elements. **Kalani Brown (born 1997)** — American WNBA basketball player; first-round draft pick by the Connecticut Sun (2019); 6'7" center; one of the most-prominent Native Hawaiian athletes in modern American professional sports. **Kalani Hilliker (born 2000)** — American dancer; *Dance Moms* (Lifetime 2014-2019). **Kalani David** — Native Hawaiian surfer and skateboarder. **Kalani Robb** — Native Hawaiian professional surfer. **Princess Kalani** — multiple historical Hawaiian royals. The name reflects the broader 2020s American taste for Native Hawaiian heritage names alongside Leilani, Aloha, and Mahalo.
Featured throughout Hawaiian heritage and American sports.
Kalani reduces to one.