Holding steady.
Popularity of Makela since 1970
Babies named Makela per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 35 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 113 |
| 2000s | 121 |
| 2010s | 18 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Makela is a modern American name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1970. It never entered the top 1000 nationally, but it reached its peak usage in 1996, the same year baby names ending in 'ela' were trending. The name has remained stable in the decades since, never becoming widely common. Its top states of use are limited, reflecting its rarity. Makela fits into the broader pattern of invented names from the 1990s that blend familiar sounds into new forms.
Makela is a modern American coinage, likely formed by combining the popular prefix 'Ma-' with the fashionable suffix '-kela', echoing names like Makayla. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1970 and saw modest use in the 1990s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mak, Kela
Sibling names for Makela
Names that share Makela's style, for a brother or sister.
