Kayla
Kayla was the 364th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 838 babies. Its best year was 1995, when it ranked 11th; the most babies were born in 1991 (18,545). Over the last ten years it has moved down 248 places. More babies were named Kayla in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin not documented
Say it KAY-luh /ˈkeɪlə/
- Rank in 2025
- #364 girls, down 148 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 838girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 199118,545 babies
- Total since 1880
- 347,144babies recorded
What does the name Kayla mean?
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
Kayla popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 574 since 1983.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #364 | 838 |
| 2020 | #216 | 1,340 |
| 2010 | #49 | 5,060 |
| 2000 | #13 | 13,313 |
| 1990 | #14 | 17,538 |
| 1980 | #590 | 314 |
| 1970 | #854 | 158 |
| 1960 | #936 | 130 |
| 1950 | #1,536 | 37 |
| 1940 | #4,102 | 6 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Kayla, counting every spelling?
Kayla is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #274 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #364 for Kayla 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 Kayla?
838 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Kayla (0.23 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Kayla 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 10 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Kayla.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Kayla?
About 340,100 people born in the US named Kayla are alive today, with a median age of 30; half are between 23 and 35. That makes Kayla 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.
Kayla by state
How common Kayla was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Hawaii (3.4×), New Jersey (2.7×), Maryland (2.3×), New York (2.1×), California (1.7×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Hampshire, Kentucky, Colorado.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Kayla: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Kayla, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Kayla · Sibling names for Kayla
Kayla is also a nickname for Makayla, Michaela and Mikayla.
Questions about the name Kayla
How popular is the name Kayla?
Kayla was the 364th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 838 babies. Its best year was 1995, when it ranked 11th; the most babies were born in 1991 (18,545). Over the last ten years it has moved down 248 places. More babies were named Kayla in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Kayla a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Kayla in the US.
Where is Kayla most popular?
In 2021–2025, Kayla was most common in Hawaii (2.09 per 1,000 girls), followed by New Jersey and Maryland.