Declining since 1996, #2,117 for girls today.
Popularity of Kaila since 1964
Babies named Kaila per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 30 |
| 1970s | 144 |
| 1980s | 1,862 |
| 1990s | 5,939 |
| 2000s | 4,223 |
| 2010s | 1,712 |
| 2020s | 646 |
Meaning & origin
Kaila is a modern name that first appeared on the U.S. baby-name charts in 1964, but its popularity surged during the 1990s, reaching a peak rank in 1991. Since 1996, its usage has been in steady decline, reflecting changing naming trends. The name has a 1 in 18,264 chance of being chosen for a girl born today, making it relatively uncommon. Kaila's highest concentration of usage is in Hawaii, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, where it has found particular favor. As a spelling variant of the more widespread Kayla, Kaila offers a distinctive yet familiar alternative, fitting a pattern of names ending in the fashionable suffix -la.
Kaila is a modern spelling variant of Kayla, which itself emerged in the late 20th century. Kayla is generally considered a combination of the name Kay (often a short form of Katherine) and the popular suffix -la, or as a feminine form of the Irish name Kael (meaning 'slender'). Alternatively, it may be a respelling of the Hebrew name Kelila, meaning 'crown of laurel.' The name gained popularity in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s.
Where Kaila is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Kaila” around the world
Where Kaila lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
45
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kay, Kai
Sibling names for Kaila
Names that share Kaila's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Kaila
Names whose popularity has moved with Kaila's over the last 50 years.
