Kelani

Kelani is a modern spelling associated with Kalani and Kehlani. In the Hawaiian Kalani route, the underlying elements refer to the heavens or sky, with royal associations also attached to lani. The modern spelling should be explained through that relationship rather than treated as a separately established ancient Hawaiian phrase.

Kelani is also the name of a river in Sri Lanka, but that geographical use has a different language history and does not prove a Hawaiian meaning for the river. A family may be choosing the first-name sound, a particular person, or the place. Distinguishing those possibilities keeps the celestial naming connection from being confused with an unrelated location that shares the same spelling.