Cayla
Cayla was the 4578th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 30 babies. Its best year was 1991, when it ranked 509th; the most babies were born in 1999 (469). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,835 places. More babies were named Cayla in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Kayla) Origin not documented
- Rank in 2025
- #4,578 girls, down 1,548 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 30girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1999469 babies
- Total since 1880
- 10,853babies recorded
What does the name Cayla mean?
Cayla is a spelling of Kayla, pronounced the same way, so it shares Kayla's meaning and origin.
Kayla is a modern name that became common in the US in the 1980s. Wiktionary calls it a modern invention, possibly built on Kay or a shortening of Michaela, and possibly patterned on Layla. In Yiddish-speaking families Kayla also appears as a separate traditional name. No traditional meaning can be given for the American name.
How sure is this? Not documented. A modern invention with several suggested models; no documented meaning.
Related names: Kaila, Kaylah, Michaela, Kay.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Kayla', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (usage history only), US Social Security Administration
- CMU Pronouncing Dictionary (cmudict), Carnegie Mellon University
Cayla popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,578 | 30 |
| 2020 | #3,030 | 53 |
| 2010 | #1,120 | 220 |
| 2000 | #596 | 425 |
| 1990 | #550 | 431 |
| 1980 | #6,370 | 10 |
| 1970 | #7,175 | 6 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Cayla, counting every spelling?
Cayla is a spelling of Kayla, a name family that ranked #274 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #4,578 for Cayla on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,222 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kayla | 838 | #364 | 5,075 |
| Kaila | 88 | #2,133 | 536 |
| Keila | 136 | #1,551 | 530 |
| Kaylah | 38 | #3,867 | 220 |
| Cayla | 30 | #4,578 | 191 |
| Kailah | 23 | #5,478 | 173 |
| Keilah | 31 | #4,497 | 132 |
| Kaela | 19 | #6,215 | 112 |
| Caila | 14 | #7,562 | 79 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Cayla?
30 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Cayla (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Cayla born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 280 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Cayla.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Cayla?
About 10,700 people born in the US named Cayla are alive today, with a median age of 28; half are between 21 and 34. That makes Cayla mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Cayla by state
How common Cayla was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in California (1.8×). In 47 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Cayla: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Cayla, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Cayla
How popular is the name Cayla?
Cayla was the 4578th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 30 babies. Its best year was 1991, when it ranked 509th; the most babies were born in 1999 (469). Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,835 places. More babies were named Cayla in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Cayla a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Cayla in the US.
Where is Cayla most popular?
In 2021–2025, Cayla was most common in California (0.04 per 1,000 girls), followed by Florida and New York.