Kayla Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Kayla is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Kayla?
Kayla is spelled K-A-Y-L-A. The name has 5 letters.
Kayla at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- 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…
- Pronunciation
- KAY-lah · 2 syllables
Kayla Popularity in 2025
Rank#364
Recorded Births838
- Girls usage fell 28 places to #364 and recorded 97 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Kayla Mean?
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.
How Do You Pronounce Kayla?
PronunciationKAY-lah
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Kayla?
- 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.
Kayla Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2008 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National 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 |
When Was Kayla Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1991 · Girls
18,545 recorded births
National rank #12
1990 · Girls
17,538 recorded births
National rank #14
1992 · Girls
16,517 recorded births
National rank #13
1995 · Girls
16,087 recorded births
National 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.
Top States 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 |