Kayla Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

Kayla Name Meaning and Origin

If you’re looking for a name for your little princess, starting with K, look no further! The name Kayla used to be widely popular in the 1980s, primarily because of celebrity influence. The soap opera “Days of Our Lives” led to the popularity of the name. The name reached a distinctive peak when it was considered among the top 20 baby names in the US. However, with time the name gradually lost its significance resulting in its downfall in the chart. But do not lose heart! This only means that your daughter will have a unique and classy-sounding name. You don’t have to worry about the name being common. In this article, we’ve given in detail the origin of the name, a few frequently asked questions, what the Kayla references in pop culture are, and much more!

What Does Kayla Mean?

The meaning of the name is an integral part of your child. The meaning of Kayla is “slim” and “fair” in Irish and Gaelic. The name also means “narrow” In Irish and “crown of laurel” in Hebrew. It is derived from the name Kay which means “pure.” In American origin, the name refers to “beloved” or “who is like God.”

Origin

The name Kayla is a shortened version of the name Michaela and is of Irish and Gaelic origin. It combines the famous name ‘Kai’ as a prefix and ‘La’ as a suffix. It can also be considered an anglicization of the Gaelic surname known as MacCathail or MacCaollaidhe.

Gender

Female

Pronunciation

  • Kay-luh
  • Kay-la
  • Key-luh

Syllables

2 syllables

Length/Letter

5 letters

Name Variations/Spellings

Variations of a name differ across the globe and are influenced by different cultures, regions, and nationalities. Likewise, several Kayla name variations have different origins. Therefore, some of the other spellings for Kayla are:

Name Origin
Kelila Hebrew
Kallee Greek
Keeli Gaelic
Kaila Yiddish
Keyley Gaelic
Kylah Hebrew
Kyley Aboriginal
Kalley Greek
Kalli American
Kaly Arabic and Greek
Kala Indian
Kalie Gaelic
Kay Greek
Kayle Yiddish
Kaylin American

How Popular Is the Name Kayla?

The name Kayla emerged in 1950 and reached its highest peak in the 1980s. However, the Kayla popularity index suggests the name’s gradual decrease in popularity in the present decade. According to the data collected from Social Security Administration, the name ranked among the top 20 baby girl names till 2004. The name Kayla ranked 13 in 2000, followed by 16 in 2003 and 18 in 2004.  After that, the name slipped into the top 50 list.

As per SSA data, the name ranked 26 in 2006 and 2007, followed by 49 in 2010. After this, the name remained in the top 150 list till 2018. The name reached 95 in 2013 and 101 in 2014. The Kayla baby name ranking indicates its rank in 2018 at 149. The name further decreased in rank, where it reached 183 in 2019 and 217 in 2020. According to this data, you can observe the rapid declination of the name presently.

Interest in Kayla – Worldwide

The popularity of the name Kayla has had an upward and downward curve in the last ten years. The name usually has a rank above 30 and has scored the highest in 2015 in February, followed by in August. The name has experienced a downwards trend after that, with a rank of 37 in September 2021.

Interest in Kayla – US

According to US trends, the interest in the name Kayla has been inconsistent for the last decade. The name’s rank has been over 30 and lowest in September 2012 and May 2019. The name reached the highest in February 2015, followed by August 2016. The name maintains a rank of 41 in September 2021.

Popularity of the name Kayla

URL: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi

Where Is the Name Most Searched?

Search trends of Kayla – Worldwide

The top five countries where the search trends for the name Kayla are the most popular are the United States and Australia, followed by New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa. This shows the name is the most popular in these countries in the last ten years.

Search trends of Kayla – US

In the US, the search trends for the name Kayla have been observed in North Dakota for the last decade. It is closely followed by West Virginia, after which Wisconsin is closest to the rank. New Hampshire and South Dakota are the other two cities among the top five list where the name trends.

Middle Names That Go With Kayla

Middle names play a crucial role in the name of your child. A middle name helps preserve your ancestors’ heritage or can also be influenced by a historical figure. Therefore, some of the double names with Kayla are:

Abigail Madison
Annaliese Elizabeth
Rosalie Meredith
Josephine Beatrice
Felicity Genevieve
Anneliese Emery
Mackenzie Caroline
Renee Emeline
Bethany Johanna
Jane Juliet
Anne Grace
Christine Jade
Faye Jessica

Famous People Named Kayla

Celebrity influence can be observed for the name Kayla for decades. The name’s journey to fame happened because of the actress in a soap opera named “Days of Our Lives.” Some of the famous people called Kayla are:

Celebrity Name Profession/Famous For
Kayla Clarke Australian swimmer
Kayla Standish American basketball player
Kayla Moore American president of Foundation for Moral Law
Kayla Cullen New Zealand netball player
Kayla Sims American YouTuber
Kayla Reeves American musician
Kayla Martell American beauty queen
Kayla Blake American actress
Kayla Mueller American human rights activist
Kayla Bashore Smedley American field hockey player
Kayla Barron
American astronaut
Kayla DiCello Olympic athlete
Kayla Ewell
American actress
Kayla Harrison American mixed martial artist

Kayla in Popular Culture

There are a handful of characters named Kayla in pop culture. The following are the most prominent of these characters.

Character Name Famous In
Kayla Brady Character in the soap opera “Days of Our Lives”
Kayla Huntington Character in the TV show “Desperate Housewives”
Kayla Pospisil Character in the movie “Bombshell”
Kayla Vance A character in the show NCIS
The Kayla Chronicles A book by the author Sherri Winston

Similar Names & Last Names

Almost every name has alternative names with the same or similar meaning. For baby names like Kayla, there are quite a few names with similar meanings. Therefore, some of the other names and family names for Kayla are:

Similar Baby Names Suitable Family Names
Alina Garcia
Fiona Turner
Bianca Taylor
Fiena Cook
Nola Green
Gwen Bell
Jenna Philips
Ingrid Wood
Jennifer Miller
Viona Sanders
Aalya Adams
Cadence Smith
Callie Harnett
Carla Grant
Kalie John

Names That Sound Like Kayla

Various names have similar sounds to the chosen name. Parents can choose from these names as per their preference. Some of the names that rhyme with Kayla are:

Darla Anastasia
Aurora Isabelle
Anna Elena
Seraphine Anabella
Naomi Tabitha
Yvette Roseanna
Bella Viviana
Layla Amelia

Sibling Names Related to Kayla

Selecting your children’s names needs to be done consciously to ensure consistency among them. Some of the suitable sibling names for Kayla are:

Sister Names for Kayla Brother Names for Kayla
May Luke
Grace Ben
Olivia Jacob
Alice Nicholas
Belle Aiden
Delilah Levi
Rose Jackson
Nicole Anthony
Lillian Ryan
Florence Ian
Amanda Alexander
Audrey Bryan

Nicknames for Kayla

Nicknames are used in informal settings and are usually considered a part of the proper name extension. Therefore, some of the quirky nicknames for Kayla are:

Kai Kay
Kylie Kaykay
Kal Kali
La Lala
Kiki Lay
Ky Kim
Kyles Lolly
Kailen Kayl

The name Kayla has experienced a drastic decline in its popularity. It used to be one of the most famous names in the 1980s; however, with time, its popularity faded. However, with the younger generation having a flair for rare and unique names, Kayla has the probability of making a return in the future.

FAQs

1. What is the numerology for  the name Kayla?

Kayla has good luck in health and she’s fortunate in love. 

2. What does the name Kayla mean in German?

The name Kayla is a variation of Kay which means chaste and pure in German.

3. What does the name Kayla mean in the Bible?

The name kayla is inspired the word ‘Keilah’ which is a city in the Old Testament.

Sources/References

Social Security Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
Kayla Name Popularity in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-09-28&geo=US&q=Kayla
Kayla Name Popularity Across The World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-09-28&q=Kayla
Kayla Name Interest in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-09-28&geo=US&q=Kayla
Kayla Name Interest Across the World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-09-28&q=Kayla

Previous article «
Next article »