Origin, Meaning, And History Of Kayla
Kayla is a contemporary name that first appeared in the late 1950s. The name Kayla, which is of Irish and Gaelic origin, is a shortened variant of the name Michaela. Since the name Kayla derives inspiration from different languages, it has several meanings, including “crown of laurels” and “god-like” from Hebrew and Arabic, “slim” and “fair” in Irish and Gaelic, and “pure” from Greek. The name means “beloved” or “who is like God” in American origin. Once a nickname for Michaela, the feminine form of the biblical Hebrew boy’s name Michael, Kayla also has roots in the Yiddish name Kaila, which has now evolved as a popular name for girls. An alternative interpretation is that Kayla is an anglicization of the Gaelic surname MacCaollaidhe or MacCathail. Kayla has many variations, including Kayle, Callia, Kyah, Keely, Kyra, kylie, and Kiara. The popularity of the name Kayla in the 1980s was primarily a result of celebrity influence. The soap opera “Days of Our Lives” also impacted the name’s popularity. According to Social Security Administration data, until 2004, the name was in the top 20 for baby girls. In 2000, Kayla ranked 13, then 16 in 2003, and 18 in 2004. Following that, the name reached the top 50. The name remained among the top 150 until 2018. The name’s ranking continued to fall, reaching 183 in 2019 and 217 in 2020. Coming to the fictional presence of this name, there are a few characters with the name Kayla in pop culture. The most well-known ones include Kayla Pospisil from the film “Bombshell,” Kayla Vance from the American action TV series NCIS: Los Angeles, and Sherri Winston’s book The Kayla Chronicles.
How To Pronounce Kayla?
Kayla On The Popularity Chart
Where does Kayla stand in terms of popularity and ranking? Check out the graphic representation shared below.
Popularity Over Time
The name Kayla first made an appearance in the 1950s but became popular only in the 1980s and peaked in the 1990s. The popularity then went down, with only 1,200 babies (per million) named Kayla in 2021.
Rank Over Time
Between 2013 and 2021, the name saw a substantial change in the rankings, going from 95 to 255. Here is a graphic representation of its ranking over time.
Names With Similar Sound As Kayla
If you’re looking for names that rhyme or sound like Kayla but mean something different, a list of them is given below.
