Declining since 2009, #413 for girls today.
Popularity of Laila since 1884
Babies named Laila per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 7 |
| 1890s | 10 |
| 1900s | 17 |
| 1910s | 175 |
| 1920s | 177 |
| 1930s | 107 |
| 1940s | 89 |
| 1950s | 136 |
| 1960s | 220 |
| 1970s | 474 |
| 1980s | 694 |
| 1990s | 1,098 |
| 2000s | 14,446 |
| 2010s | 19,659 |
| 2020s | 6,175 |
Meaning & origin
Laila has been recorded in the United States since at least 1884, reflecting early waves of Arabic name adoption. Its popularity surged in the early 2000s, reaching a peak rank in 2009, after which it has followed a gradual downward trajectory. As of 2025, it ranks 413th, with approximately 1 in every 2,129 newborn girls receiving the name. The name has been particularly favored in states like Maryland, Louisiana, and Mississippi, where it appears among the top choices. Despite its decline from the peak, Laila remains a well-recognized cross-cultural favorite, maintaining steady usage through its elegant sound and literary associations.
Laila derives from the Arabic word laylah, meaning 'night.' It appears in pre-Islamic poetry and gained prominence through the tragic love story of Layla and Majnun, which spread across the Islamic world and later into Persian, Turkish, and South Asian literature. In the West, the spelling Laila has been used since at least the 19th century, often reflecting a simplified transliteration.
Where Laila 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.
“Laila” around the world
Where Laila lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
30
babies in 2024
Ireland
11
babies in 2025
Quebec
9
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Lai, Lala
Sibling names for Laila
Names that share Laila's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Laila
Names whose popularity has moved with Laila's over the last 50 years.
