Chani

Chani, which rhymes with Johnny, is famous as the name of the character played by Zendaya in the Dune books, video games, and movies. Another force driving the name's use is Canadian astrologer Chani Nicholas.

Chani can be short for Channah, a form of Hannah, one of the many names in the Anne family meaning grace. Chani may also be short for the Hindi Chandra, the name of the Hindu moon goddess.

No baby girls were named Chandra or Channah in the US last year, but a handful were named Chani. We expect that number to rise following the popularity of Dune II.

Pronounced CHAH-nee.

As of October 2026, Chani ranked #8982 for girls in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #3661 for girls in 1986.