Laela
Laela was the 5644th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 22 babies. Its best year was 2009, when it ranked 1897th with 111 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,186 places. More babies were named Laela in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Layla) night · Arabic
- Rank in 2025
- #5,644 girls, down 3,031 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 22girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2009111 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,685babies recorded
What does the name Laela mean?
Laela is a spelling of Layla, pronounced the same way, so it shares Layla's meaning and origin.
Layla is one of many English spellings of the Arabic name usually written Leila or Layla. Wiktionary says it entered English use through 19th-century literature. Wiktionary notes that since the late 20th century this spelling is often chosen in English simply for its sound. Wiktionary traces the Arabic name Layla to an old Semitic word for 'night', the same word behind Arabic layl, 'night'.
ليلى (Arabic, “Laylā”)لَيْل (Arabic, “night”)
How sure is this? Probable.
See also: Arabic names.
Laela popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,644 | 22 |
| 2020 | #2,613 | 65 |
| 2010 | #2,071 | 96 |
| 2000 | #4,243 | 29 |
| 1990 | #14,167 | 5 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Laela, counting every spelling?
Laela is a spelling of Layla, a name family that ranked #27 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #5,644 for Laela on its own. Together these spellings went to 6,556 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layla | 5,338 | #36 | 28,818 |
| Laila | 755 | #413 | 4,872 |
| Laylah | 179 | #1,254 | 1,284 |
| Lailah | 131 | #1,602 | 955 |
| Leilah | 125 | #1,660 | 753 |
| Laela | 22 | #5,644 | 183 |
| Laelah | — | — | 51 |
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 Laela?
22 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Laela (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Laela 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 381 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Laela.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Laela?
About 1,700 people born in the US named Laela are alive today, with a median age of 15; half are between 10 and 20. That makes Laela 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.
Laela by state
How common Laela was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 48 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 Laela: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Laela, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Laela
What does Laela mean?
Laela is a spelling of Layla, which means “night” (Arabic origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Laela?
Laela was the 5644th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 22 babies. Its best year was 2009, when it ranked 1897th with 111 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 2,186 places. More babies were named Laela in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Laela a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Laela in the US.
Where is Laela most popular?
In 2021–2025, Laela was most common in Pennsylvania (0.05 per 1,000 girls), followed by California and Texas.