Home › Baby Names Directory › Eila

Eila

♀ Girl

Pronounced EHEE-lah /ˈei̯.lɑ/Medium

Meaning: TorchMedium

In 30 seconds: Eila is a Finnish girls' name meaning 'torch'. It is short, bright, and rooted in Finland.

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumFinnish

MeaningTorch

U.S. rank (2024)#1956 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births101 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2020

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,791

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

History & Origin

The meaning 'torch' gives Eila a sense of light and warmth, and the name has been used in Finland for generations. It is a compact, native Finnish name rather than a borrowing. Its simplicity is part of its appeal.

Two clean syllables make Eila easy to say across languages while keeping its Finnish character. The sculptor Eila Hiltunen, known for the Sibelius Monument in Helsinki, gives the name a notable real-life bearer.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Eila is 'torch', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Eila — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

—

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

★Eila Hiltunen (1922-2003)
Finnish sculptor best known for the Sibelius Monument in Helsinki.

If you like Eila…

Aila— another short Finnish girls' name with a near-identical sound

Eira— a brief Nordic name sharing Eila's soft two-syllable shape

Ella— a close-sounding name with the same gentle El- feel

Leila— shares the -eila sound while coming from a different root

Frequently Asked

What does the name Eila mean?

Eila is usually explained as meaning 'torch' and is most often linked with Finnish tradition.

How do you pronounce Eila?

It's commonly said EHEE-lah /ˈei̯.lɑ/.

Is Eila a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Eila is used as a girl name.

How popular is Eila?

In 2024, Eila ranked #1956 in the U.S. for girls, with 101 births recorded.