Holding steady.
Popularity of Mikalah since 1990
Babies named Mikalah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 218 |
| 2000s | 600 |
| 2010s | 77 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Mikalah first appeared in U.S. Social Security records in 1990, a time when creative respellings of popular names were gaining ground. Its peak year was 2005, reflecting the broader trend of names ending in 'ah' and 'ayla'. The name has never entered the top 1,000, and its trajectory has been stable since its peak. Unlike better-known spellings such as Makayla or Mikayla, Mikalah remains uncommon, with no top states showing particular concentration. The name's meaning, derived from Michael via Makayla, is 'Who is like God?' but many parents may choose it for its distinctive sound rather than its religious origins.
Mikalah is a modern invented spelling of Makayla, which is itself a variant of Michaela, the feminine form of Michael. The name Michael derives from the Hebrew phrase Mikha'el, meaning 'who is like God?' This particular spelling emerged in the United States in the 1990s as part of a trend of creative respellings of popular names like Kayla and Michaela. It has been used almost exclusively for girls.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mika, Kay, Kalah
Sibling names for Mikalah
Names that share Mikalah's style, for a brother or sister.
