Mostly girls
Aria
Italian and Hebrew
“air; song or melody; lion”
Mostly girls · Variation of Leila, Arabic
Layla
“night”
Say it LAY-luhPronunciation may vary by region.
See your shortlist ↗
A little maybe, saved for later.
The story behind the name
Meet Layla.
Layla is an Arabic name connected with layl, meaning night. The story of Qays and Layla gives it a longstanding literary and romantic association, separate from its straightforward nighttime meaning.
Leila is a related spelling. Since pronunciations can vary between languages and families, it is worth choosing the sound you intend as well as the spelling; the common English form is LAY-luh.
5 lettersArabic origins ↗
A little perspective
How popular is Layla?
Girls · 2025#365,338 recorded births
Recorded US births over time
● Girls● Boys
View the numbers behind the chart
| Year | Category | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 36 | 5,338 |
| 2024 | Boys | 10,495 | 7 |
| 2024 | Girls | 37 | 5,325 |
| 2023 | Girls | 30 | 5,703 |
| 2022 | Girls | 29 | 6,096 |
| 2021 | Boys | 10,352 | 7 |
| 2021 | Girls | 24 | 6,356 |
| 2020 | Girls | 24 | 6,228 |
| 2019 | Boys | 13,315 | 5 |
| 2019 | Girls | 23 | 6,523 |
| 2018 | Girls | 27 | 6,512 |
| 2017 | Boys | 7,909 | 10 |
| 2017 | Girls | 26 | 6,335 |
| 2016 | Girls | 30 | 6,300 |
| 2015 | Boys | 10,190 | 7 |
| 2015 | Girls | 30 | 6,348 |
| 2014 | Boys | 11,565 | 6 |
| 2014 | Girls | 29 | 6,466 |
Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.
A few ways to make it theirs.
Nicknames
No nicknames are listed yet. The name can stand beautifully on its own.
Variations & related forms
LeilaLaila
Keep the possibilities coming
If you love Layla…
More names with a similar feeling or shared roots.
Mostly girls
Camila
Spanish variation of Camilla, Latin
“young ceremonial attendant”
Mostly girls
Elena
Spanish, Italian, German, Greek variation of He…
“bright, shining light”
Mostly girls
Madison
English
“Traditionally son of Matthew; alternatively linked with Maud”
Mostly girls
Maya
Sanskrit, English, Hebrew, Estonian
“illusion or magic (Sanskrit); other meanings vary by tradition”
Unisex
Riley
English, Irish
“rye clearing (English); Irish surname origin uncertain”