Keyla

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAY-luh /ˈkeɪ.lə/High

Meaning: A modern spelling variant of Kayla, which blends the Hebrew name Michaela (who is like God) and the Irish Gaelic Caol (slender, narrow), used as a creative respelling in American naming cultureMedium

In 30 seconds: Keyla is a modern American respelling of Kayla, drawing on Hebrew and Gaelic roots meaning beautiful one and slender. Its distinctive spelling gives a familiar sound a fresh, personal look.

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumHebrew, American English, Gaelic

MeaningA modern spelling variant of Kayla, which blends the Hebrew name Michaela (who is like God) and the Irish Gaelic Caol (slender, narrow), used as a creative respelling in American naming culture

U.S. rank (2025)#821 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births331 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2016

Total births (all-time)≈ 9,878

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

Keyla is a phonetic respelling of Kayla, a name that rose dramatically in the 1980s in the United States. Kayla itself is thought to blend the Hebrew Michaela (who is like God) with Irish Gaelic Caol or Cayla, meaning 'slender' or 'narrow'. Some sources also connect it to the Hebrew kelilah (crown) or to Aramaic roots meaning 'beautiful'.

The Keyla spelling appeared in the 1990s as American naming culture embraced creative respellings to give children distinctive versions of popular names. It remains relatively uncommon compared to Kayla but is used in both Anglo-American and Latino communities, where the -eyla spelling may also reflect Spanish pronunciation patterns.

Did you know? Kayla and its variants exploded in popularity after the character Kayla Brady appeared on the U.S. daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives in 1982, demonstrating television's lasting influence on baby naming trends.

Overall data confidence 76%

Behind the Name — Kayla — etymology notes for the base nameU.S. Social Security Administration — Keyla as distinct spelling entry

Variations

KaylaKaylahKaelaCayla

Nicknames

KayKey

Famous Bearers

★Keyla Ohs (born 1979)
Keyla Ohs (born January 26, 1979, in Port Alberni, British Columbia) is a Canadian former competitive figure skater who won the Canadian Junior Figure Skating Championship in 1993 and earned a silver medal at the 1998 Canadian Figure Skating Championships in the senior ladies singles event. She represented Canada in international Grand Prix competitions and at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships through the late 1990s, earning recognition for her artistic expression and choreographic work developed with notable coach Sandra Bezic. After retiring from competition in 2000 following injuries, Ohs earned degrees in political science from the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University before returning to the sport as a coach and choreographer at the B.C. Centre of Excellence in Burnaby.

If you like Keyla…

Kayla— the standard spelling of the same phonetic name

Layla— shares the same two-syllable ending -ayla sound

Maya— same soft two-syllable feminine feel with multicultural roots

Keira— similar Celtic-influenced two-syllable name with a K opening

Explore names like Keyla

By thememodern hebrew american two-syllable respelling gaelic

By meaningGod / Divine

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Keyla mean?

Keyla is a variant of Kayla and shares its meanings: slender (from Irish Gaelic) and beautiful, blended with Hebrew Michaela roots.

How do you pronounce Keyla?

It is said KAY-luh, with two syllables, identical to Kayla.

Is Keyla the same as Kayla?

Keyla is a respelling of Kayla; they are pronounced the same way but spelled differently.

Is Keyla a popular name?

Keyla is less common than Kayla but appears on U.S. name charts, particularly in communities that prefer distinctive spellings.