Kayla
Kayla is a recently created English feminine given name combining the name elements Kay and -la. Its use has been influenced by similar-sounding names such as Kaylee. Use of the name increased in the 1980s after the name was used for the character Kayla Brady on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Kayla
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kayla is a recently created English feminine given name combining the name elements Kay and -la. Its use has been influenced by similar-sounding names such as Kaylee. Use of the name increased in the 1980s after the name was used for the character Kayla Brady on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Kayla
The earliest SSA record of Kayla as a baby girl name dates back to 1933, when 6 babies received it. 1991 was its biggest year on record, with 18,545 newborns named Kayla — #12 in the national rankings. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 45% of all recorded Kaylas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #369 among baby girl names with 821 births, falling sharply (-42%). In total, more than 347K Kaylas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Kayla
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Kayla. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Kayla
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kayla is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kayla
What does the name Kayla mean?
What is the origin of the name Kayla?
How popular is Kayla in 2026?
When was Kayla most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kayla most popular?
Is Kayla a unisex name?
What names go well with Kayla?
What are nicknames or variants of Kayla?
About the name Kayla
Kayla is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1933 and has accumulated 347K births in the dataset. Kayla's peak popularity came in 1991 when it ranked #11. Use the chart and map above to compare Kayla's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1991 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.