Leilani

Commonly explained as “heavenly lei” or “heavenly garland of flowers” in Hawaiian usage.

Leilani is a feminine given name with Hawaiian-language roots. In common explanations, it’s linked to the image of a lei (a garland of flowers) paired with a “heavenly” sense, giving the name a clear nature-and-culture association rather than an abstract invented meaning. Etymologically, Leilani is usually analyzed through Hawaiian elements: lei, often glossed as a garland, and lani, often glossed as heaven or heavenly. As with many Hawaiian names, spelling is relatively stable, but you may occasionally see a hyphenated form like Lei-lani. Pronunciation in English is typically lay-LAH-nee (three syllables). A practical tip is to keep the first syllable like “lay,” and the name naturally supports everyday short forms such as Lei or Lani if nicknames are desired.

Etymology: From Hawaiian elements often glossed as ‘lei’ (garland) and ‘lani’ (heaven/heavenly).