Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Alani

‘Alani is the Hawaiian word for “orange” as in the fruit and not the color. However, since Alani is a very modern coinage and a new 21st century girl’s name, there remains uncertainty as to the reasons why parents have suddenly taken up with this name. It could have something to do with the pretty Hawaiian sound or the refreshing quality of an orange specifically. Or the name could have also developed in other ways. For instance, Alani may be a new twist on “Alana” names generally believed to be a female form of Alan (from the Gaelic meaning “rock”). Or even “Alana” which means “awakening” in Hawaiian. Lastly, and this is a bit of a stretch even for us, but the Alani were ancient nomadic people living in the northeast steppe region of the Black Sea. They spoke an ancient form of an Eastern Iranian language, they were large in stature and fiercely warlike, and they specialized in the breeding, taming and training of horses. So there are a couple different ways to view this name.

All About the Baby Name – Alani

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME ALANI

The number one personality is a leader - strong and competitive. They are willing to initiate action and take risks. One personalities work hard toward their endeavors and have the ability to apply their creative and innovative thinking skills with strong determination. They believe in their ability to succeed and are too stubborn to be hindered by obstacles. Ones meet obstacles head-on with such mental vigor and energy that you better step aside. They resent taking orders, so don't try telling them what to do either. This is an intensely active personality, but they are also known as starters rather than finishers. They have a propensity to become bored and will move quickly to the next project if not properly challenged.  They are the ones to think up and put into action new and brilliant ideas, but they are not the ones to stick around and manage them. This personality has an enthusiastic and pioneering spirit. They are distinctly original.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME ALANI

Alani has only been in circulation since 2003, and its usage appears to be restricted to the United States. Alani is most likely a slightly updated spin on the older Alana, but it could also be used in reference to the orange fruit (given its Hawaiian meaning). Orange trees are symbolic of emotional trust and the release of fears; it has a calming, healthful effect. It is also said to nourish dreams and attract love (bathing in or wearing orange oil is believed by some to increase our attractiveness to the opposite sex). To the Chinese, the orange is kept around in large quantities said to attract wealth (orange sounds like the Chinese word for "wealth"). We definitely like ‘Alani’s association with the orange for the above stated reasons! This name hasn’t done tremendously well yet on the U.S. female naming charts so we’ll have to wait and see if usage improves over time. Alani has only been around for about ten years so we hardly know where she’ll go from here. But we are curious. Orange you?

Quick Facts

ON ALANI

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

American

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

3

RANKING POPULARITY:

614

PRONUNCIATION:

ə-LAH-nee

SIMPLE MEANING:

Orange (fruit)

Characteristics

OF ALANI

Independent

Individualistic

Ambitious

Strong-willed

Inventive

Successful

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Alani

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME ALANI

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Alani

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME ALANI

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Alani


Popular Songs

ON ALANI

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Alani


Famous People

NAMED ALANI

We cannot find any celebrities or significantly famous people with the first name Alani.

Children of Famous People

NAMED ALANI

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Alani

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME ALANI

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Alani