Kayla

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAY-lah /ˈkeɪ.lə/High

Meaning: A modern name possibly derived from Hebrew Kayla (crown of laurels, from kelil) or from Arabic Kayla (slim, slender), or created as an American phonetic variant of Kay or Michaela.Medium

In 30 seconds: Kayla is a bright, modern American name that surged in the 1980s and 1990s. Whether traced to Hebrew 'crown' or Arabic 'slender', it has a warm, accessible sound that became a defining name of the Generation X era.

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Origin MediumHebrew, Arabic, American English

MeaningA modern name possibly derived from Hebrew Kayla (crown of laurels, from kelil) or from Arabic Kayla (slim, slender), or created as an American phonetic variant of Kay or Michaela.

U.S. rank (2025)#364 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births838 girls (0.05% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1991

Total births (all-time)≈ 346,561

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Kayla's etymology is genuinely uncertain. It may derive from the Hebrew Kayla or Kelila, meaning 'crown of laurels' or 'vessel'. Alternatively, it could be from the Arabic feminine name meaning 'slim' or from an Irish Gaelic root. It is also possible Kayla is a purely American phonetic invention, combining the K and the -ayla ending, developed in the latter half of the twentieth century.

Kayla surged dramatically in American popularity following the introduction of the character Kayla Brady on Days of Our Lives in the early 1980s. By the late 1980s it was in the US top 10 girls' names. Its peak popularity was in the 1990s and 2000s, and it remains in the top 200. Kayla became one of the defining names of a generation of American women born in the 1980s and 1990s.

Did you know? Kayla Brady, a character on the long-running American soap opera Days of Our Lives who first appeared in 1982, is widely credited with sparking Kayla's explosion into the US top 10 — making Days of Our Lives one of the most influential sources of American baby name trends.

Overall data confidence 75%

Behind the Name: Kayla — Etymology discussion and television influenceSocial Security Administration Name Data — US popularity peak and trend data

Variations

KaylahKaelaCayla

Nicknames

KayKay-Kay

Famous Bearers

★Kayla Brady (fictional) (1982–)
Character on the US soap opera Days of Our Lives, whose introduction sparked Kayla's rise to the US top 10.

If you like Kayla…

Maya— two-syllable feminine name with the same warm, approachable sound and 1990s popularity

Layla— two-syllable feminine name with the same -ayla ending and cross-cultural appeal

Kaylee— two-syllable American created name with the same Kay- opening and similar 1990s peak

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kayla mean?

Kayla may mean 'crown of laurels' from Hebrew or 'slim' from Arabic, though it may also be a modern American invention.

How do you pronounce Kayla?

Kayla is pronounced KAY-lah (/ˈkeɪ.lə/), two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Kayla a boy or girl name?

Kayla is a girl's name.

How popular is Kayla?

Kayla was in the US top 10 girls' names in the late 1980s and 1990s and remains in the top 200 today.