Kayla Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Kayla is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
Kayla meaning and origin
Kayla is commonly understood to derive from elements meaning “laurel” or “crown,” though exact etymology is uncertain.
Origin: Kayla is considered a modern English given name that gained popularity in the late 20th century, possibly influenced by similar-sounding Hebrew or Yiddish names.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation: KAY-lah
Syllables: 2
History of the name
- History
- The usage of Kayla notably increased during the 1980s and 1990s in English-speaking countries, according to records showing its rise in popularity during those decades.
Names connected to Kayla
Nicknames
Kayla popularity by year
| Year | Usage category | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 838 | #364 |
| 2024 | Girls | 935 | #336 |
| 2023 | Girls | 952 | #324 |
| 2022 | Girls | 1,133 | #279 |
| 2021 | Girls | 1,217 | #254 |
| 2020 | Girls | 1,340 | #215 |
| 2019 | Girls | 1,613 | #182 |
| 2019 | Boys | 5 | #12,145 |
| 2018 | Girls | 1,892 | #149 |
| 2018 | Boys | 5 | #12,156 |
| 2017 | Girls | 2,128 | #138 |
| 2016 | Girls | 2,471 | #129 |
| 2015 | Girls | 2,740 | #115 |
| 2014 | Girls | 3,012 | #101 |
| 2013 | Girls | 3,261 | #96 |
| 2013 | Boys | 7 | #9,655 |
| 2012 | Girls | 3,776 | #69 |
| 2011 | Girls | 4,336 | #59 |
| 2011 | Boys | 5 | #12,287 |
| 2010 | Girls | 5,060 | #49 |
| 2010 | Boys | 8 | #8,803 |
| 2009 | Girls | 5,847 | #35 |
| 2009 | Boys | 6 | #10,994 |
| 2008 | Girls | 6,835 | #28 |
Ranks compare names only within the same year and source category. Birth totals are historical records, not an exact count of living people.
Peak recorded years
These are the years with the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category, ordered from the largest total downward.
1991 · Girls
18,545 recorded births and rank #12.
1990 · Girls
17,538 recorded births and rank #14.
1992 · Girls
16,517 recorded births and rank #13.
1995 · Girls
16,087 recorded births and rank #11.
Where Kayla ranked highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Highest state rankings for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded births |
|---|---|---|
| NJ | #114 | 65 |
| MD | #176 | 29 |
| NY | #205 | 82 |
| MA | #215 | 26 |
| NM | #217 | 7 |
| CA | #265 | 124 |
| FL | #281 | 67 |
| IN | #317 | 22 |