Jelani
How to say it: juh-LAH-nee · /dʒəˈlɑːni/
Swahili name of Arabic origin meaning 'mighty, great, powerful'.
Jelani was the 1,724th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 134 babies of either sex (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up about 25% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,715 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,724 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 (both sexes) | 134 |
| Share of births | 1 in 24,741 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | +25% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,715 |
| In France, 2025 | #428 among boys’ names, 100 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Use has built steadily, giving Jelani its brightest chapter yet in the 2020s. Resting at that summit, further ascent looks likely.
What goes with it
Warm resonant sounds, spoken juh LAH nee, lend Jelani a strong presence. Jabari pairs in bold rhythmic style plus Lani offers a soft short form.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Jelani is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French.
In France: #428 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Jelani
- Jelani Reshaun Sumiyoshi (born 1997)Japanese association football player
- Jelani McCoy (born 1977)American basketball player
- Jelani Smith (born 1991)Association football player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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