Rising since 1985, #821 for girls today.
Popularity of Keyla since 1961
Babies named Keyla per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 19 |
| 1970s | 152 |
| 1980s | 340 |
| 1990s | 1,055 |
| 2000s | 2,846 |
| 2010s | 3,582 |
| 2020s | 1,887 |
Meaning & origin
Keyla first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1961, and since the mid-1980s it has been on a consistent upward trajectory, rising in rank from obscurity into the top 1,000 names. It reached its peak in 2016, and as of 2025 sits at rank 821, with about 1 in every 4,856 girls given the name. The name is most commonly found in states like Alabama, Maryland, and Tennessee. As a modern English coinage, Keyla reflects a broader trend of names ending in the la sound, blending familiarity with a slightly distinctive spelling.
Keyla is a modern American name that emerged in the 1960s. It is likely a respelling of Kayla, which itself arose as a combination of the Kay- sound (from names like Katherine or Kay) and the popular -la suffix (as in Kayla, Layla). The name first appeared on U.S. birth records in 1961 and has seen periodic popularity.
Where Keyla 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.
“Keyla” around the world
Where Keyla lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
85
babies in 2024
Quebec
5
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Key
Sibling names for Keyla
Names that share Keyla's style, for a brother or sister.
