Baby Name Popularity Profile

Kayla

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Kayla.

✦ Crown or slender, fair 🌍 Hebrew, Irish traditional modern
National Rank (2025) #364
All-Time Peak Rank #11 Achieved 1995
Total U.S. Births 346,570 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.1% Boy / 99.9% Girl Overwhelmingly Female
First Recorded 1933 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1990s 18,545 births in 1991
πŸ’‘ The Kayla Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Crown or slender, fair
Language Origin Hebrew, Irish
Origin Type multiple
Kayla has multiple proposed origins: from Hebrew Kaila meaning 'crown of laurel', or as an anglicized form of the Irish name Caoilainn meaning 'slender, fair'. It is also considered a modern American invention.
Common Nicknames
Kay
Alternative Spellings
Kaila Kaela
Pronunciation: KAY-lΙ™
Themes & Categories
traditional modern
Etymology confidence: Medium Β· Under review

πŸ“– The Story Behind Kayla

According to SSA data, Kayla achieved its highest historical rank of #11 in 1995. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1991 with 18,545 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 69.4%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 89 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Kayla across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -69.4% Decline
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 18,545 births in 1991
Years in Top 100 30 yrs
Years in Top 500 44 yrs
Registry Streak 89 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 0
1910s: 0
1920s: 0
1930s: 35
1940s: 161
1950s: 700
1960s: 1,488
1970s: 1,942
1980s: 55,291
1990s: 155,893
2000s: 94,356
2010s: 30,289
2020s: 6,415

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Ka-ya
Letter Count 5 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 7.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 7.7% of SSA names. Starts with K, a letter used by only 7.8% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Kayla.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Nevada
Top States Nevada, Florida, Alaska, Hawaii, Delaware
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Nevada #565 2,218 1996 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #282 18,669 1991 34.3% Decline
Alaska Unranked 735 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 1,541 1996 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 966 2000 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #178 6,934 2000 19.4% Decline
New Hampshire Unranked 1,395 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 1,600 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 587 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #630 9,215 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #595 11,933 1991 52.6% Decline
Oregon Unranked 3,841 1990 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 1,421 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #460 5,064 1995 44.4% Decline
South Carolina #542 5,717 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #447 8,882 1996 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado Unranked 4,686 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 1,531 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana Unranked 6,948 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #561 6,193 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky Unranked 6,543 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #548 7,453 1990 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #621 10,654 1996 32.0% Decline
Minnesota #480 6,744 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #605 6,492 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 1,543 1990 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #117 9,674 1999 16.7% Decline
Indiana #325 8,251 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 1,059 1987 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 3,227 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 595 1989 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 1,159 1991 Insufficient historical volume
California #266 33,780 1991 44.1% Decline
Texas #399 25,653 1999 48.8% Decline
New Mexico #231 1,790 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #364 3,623 1994 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #612 7,165 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #352 14,778 1991 +18.5% Growth
Mississippi #413 4,033 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas Unranked 3,306 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #470 11,803 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas Unranked 3,361 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #219 7,550 1990 10.3% Decline
Pennsylvania #376 15,510 1991 19.4% Decline
New York #209 22,324 2000 46.1% Decline
Oklahoma Unranked 3,892 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #570 2,344 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #625 3,759 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #413 13,617 2000 55.9% Decline
Nebraska #364 1,826 1990 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 979 1999 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
Dante Casey Jared Malik Cody Dalton Malcolm Spencer Forrest Desmond
πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
Raven Morgan Taylor Ariel Selena Brooke Mariah Alyssa Sabrina Esmeralda

πŸ”— Names You Might Also Like

Based on statistical similarity and shared characteristics with Kayla:

Demographic & Volume Peers
Kaila Kyara Kyana Keana Katja Keara Kasha Kerra Kahla Kyera
More traditional Names
Browse all traditional names β†’ Browse Hebrew names β†’

πŸ—‚οΈ Browse More Baby Names

Explore our name indexes and data tracks:

πŸ‘§ Top Girl Names β†’ 2-Syllable Names β†’ 5-Letter Names β†’ More Declining Classic Names β†’ Hebrew Origin Names β†’ traditional Names β†’ Names Peaking in 1991 β†’ πŸ—ΊοΈ Regional State Data β†’