Kela

♀ Girl

Pronounced KEE-luh /ˈkiː.lə/Medium

Meaning: Kela is a brief feminine name that reads as a clip of Michaela or Kayla, keeping their -ela/-la sound. It also exists independently as the Hawaiian form of Sara, giving it more than one honest reading.Low

In 30 seconds: Kela is a short coined feminine, most likely clipped from Michaela or Kayla, and also a Hawaiian form of Sara. It stayed rare, with a small peak in the 1990s.

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Origin LowEnglish, Hawaiian

MeaningKela is a brief feminine name that reads as a clip of Michaela or Kayla, keeping their -ela/-la sound. It also exists independently as the Hawaiian form of Sara, giving it more than one honest reading.

U.S. rank (2016)#12330 ↗ Rising

2016 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1994

Total births (all-time)≈ 901

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kela is a compact name with no single origin. Its likeliest source is the ending of Michaela or Kayla, isolated as a standalone name during the K-name boom, though it also stands on its own as the Hawaiian rendering of Sara. Either way it is short, soft and modern in feel.

It never became common, running at a few dozen girls a year with a faint high point around 1994 in the thick of the Kayla era, then easing off. Kela reads as a minimalist coinage or heritage name depending on the family, and it has stayed uncommon rather than trending.

Did you know? Kela has a surprising second life: in Hawaii it is the traditional local form of Sara, so the same short spelling can be either a modern American clip or an island heritage name.

Overall data confidence 45%

References - Kela — Short feminine, likely clip of Michaela/Kayla; also Hawaiian form of Sara

Variations

KaylaMichaelaKeelaKaila

Nicknames

KayLala

Famous Bearers

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If you like Kela…

Kayla— a likely parent name Kela clips from, same soft ending

Keila— a near-identical short K- feminine of the era

Michaela— the other probable source name for the -ela sound

Keyla— a comparable brief K- coinage from the same wave

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kela mean?

Kela is a short name likely clipped from Michaela or Kayla, and also a Hawaiian form of Sara.

How do you pronounce Kela?

It's said KEE-luh /ˈkiː.lə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kela a boy or girl name?

Kela is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Kela?

Kela has always been rare, a short coinage that peaked faintly during the Kayla era.