Declining since 1999.
Popularity of Mekayla since 1985
Babies named Mekayla per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 33 |
| 1990s | 618 |
| 2000s | 749 |
| 2010s | 249 |
| 2020s | 16 |
Meaning & origin
Mekayla is a modern, phonetic variant of Michaela, one of many spellings that emerged in the late 20th century as parents sought distinctive alternatives to the traditional Michaela. First recorded in U.S. data in 1985, the name saw its peak usage in 1998, after which its frequency has steadily declined through 2025. While not currently ranked in the top 1,000, Mekayla remains a familiar example of the creative spelling trend that flourished in the 1990s, particularly among names like Makayla, Mikayla, and McKenna. Its roots trace back to the Hebrew name Michael, but its modern form reflects a distinctly American pattern of name innovation.
Mekayla is a modern phonetic respelling of Michaela, the feminine form of Michael. Michael derives from the Hebrew Mikha'el, a rhetorical question 'Who is like God?' The name entered English via the Greek and Latin forms. Variants like Mekayla emerged in the late 20th century as parents sought unique spellings of established names.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kayla, Meka, Mik
Sibling names for Mekayla
Names that share Mekayla's style, for a brother or sister.
