Kaela
Kaela was the 6215th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 19 babies. Its best year was 1996, when it ranked 648th with 345 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,769 places. More babies were named Kaela in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Kayla) Origin not documented
- Rank in 2025
- #6,215 girls, down 25 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 19girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1996345 babies
- Total since 1880
- 6,358babies recorded
What does the name Kaela mean?
Kaela 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
Kaela popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,215 | 19 |
| 2020 | #6,190 | 19 |
| 2010 | #2,551 | 72 |
| 2000 | #867 | 254 |
| 1990 | #808 | 248 |
| 1980 | #8,543 | 7 |
| 1970 | #5,578 | 9 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Kaela, counting every spelling?
Kaela is a spelling of Kayla, a name family that ranked #274 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #6,215 for Kaela 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 Kaela?
19 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Kaela (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Kaela 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 439 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Kaela.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Kaela?
About 6,200 people born in the US named Kaela are alive today, with a median age of 29; half are between 23 and 34. That makes Kaela 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.
Kaela by state
How common Kaela was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 49 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 Kaela: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Kaela, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Kaela
How popular is the name Kaela?
Kaela was the 6215th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 19 babies. Its best year was 1996, when it ranked 648th with 345 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,769 places. More babies were named Kaela in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Kaela a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Kaela in the US.
Where is Kaela most popular?
In 2021–2025, Kaela was most common in Texas (0.01 per 1,000 girls), followed by California and California.