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Home › Baby Names Directory › Mayla

Mayla

♀ Girl

Pronounced MAY-lə /ˈmɑi̯.lɑ/High

Meaning: Sea of bitternessMedium

In 30 seconds: Mayla is given the meaning 'sea of bitterness', the sense traditionally attached to the Mary family of names. It pairs that old meaning with a soft, modern spelling.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningSea of bitterness
U.S. rank (2025)#1763 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births115 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,700

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202519562025

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

The 'sea of bitterness' meaning links Mayla to the wider Mary group, which includes forms like Mari, Maija, and Marika. Mayla itself is a gentle, vowel-rich shaping of that root, easy on the ear. The look is contemporary even where the meaning reaches back.

Related forms span several languages, from the Finnish-feeling Maija and Maritta to Marika and Marita. The name's close cousin Maila was worn by the performer known as Vampira, Maila Nurmi.

Did you know? Mayla is a spelling variant of Maila, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'sea of bitterness' while changing the visual style.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Mayla — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

MaijaMariMarikaMaritaMaritta

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Maila "Vampira" Nurmi (1922–2008)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Mayla…

Mari— A short relative of Mayla in the same Mary-rooted family.
Tyla— shares the -la ending
Kaila— echoes that soft -la sound
Shyla— another English name
Ryla— a fellow English choice

Explore names like Mayla

By thememodernenglish
By meaningSea / Water

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Mayla mean?

Mayla is usually explained as meaning 'sea of bitterness' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Mayla?

It's commonly said MAY-lə /ˈmɑi̯.lɑ/.

Is Mayla a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Mayla?

In 2024, Mayla ranked #1769 in the U.S. for girls, with 114 births recorded.

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