Lani is a distinctive choice, ranked #1271 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Lani in their class.
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UK Rank 2025
#1271
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About the Name Lani
Lani is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 62 places over five years. Its high point was #916 in 2005, and it now sits at #2001. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Lani is uncommon in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Lani in their class.
⭐ Famous People Named Lani
Lani Tupu — Lani Tupu, billed variously as Larney Tupu, John Tupu and Lani John Tupu, is a New Zealand actor, known for his dual role as Bialar Crais and the voice of Pilot in the series Farscape.
Lani Misalucha — Lani Bayot Misalucha is a Filipino singer.
Lani Cayetano — Maria Laarni "Lani" Lopez Cayetano is a Filipina politician who is the current Mayor of Taguig from 2010 to 2019 and again since 2022.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Lani
Unlikely. With around 25 UK babies named Lani per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Lani in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Lani is rising: up 668 places since 2020, to #1,271 in 2025. Its best recorded position was #916 in 2005.
Lani is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Lani include: Lani Tupu, Lani Misalucha and Lani Cayetano. Short summaries for each appear below.
Lani does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Lanis in the wild.
25
UK babies named Lani (2025)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↑ 668 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Lani
Almost certainly the only Lani in the class
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UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Lani
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Lani Tupu, billed variously as Larney Tupu, John Tupu and Lani John Tupu, is a New Zealand actor, known for his dual role as Bialar Crais and the voice of Pilot in the series Farscape.
Lani Mercado-Revilla (Tagalog pronunciation: [ˈlɐnɪ mɛɾˈkadɔ rɛˈbiljɐ]; born Jesusa Victoria Garcia Hernandez-Bautista; April 13, 1968) is a Filipino actress and politician who has served as the representative of Cavite's second district since 2022, a position she previously held from 2010 to 2016.
Lani Lazzari is an American entrepreneur and businessperson, who is best known for founding the cosmetics company Simple Sugars, which she did when she was 11 years of age.