Holding steady.
Popularity of Shakeyla since 1981
Babies named Shakeyla per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 47 |
| 1990s | 136 |
| 2000s | 6 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Shakeyla is a modern American invention, first recorded in U.S. birth data in 1981. It reached its peak popularity in 1992, when it was given to a small number of baby girls, and has since remained very rare, with no recorded births in recent years according to the latest data from 2025. The name reflects a creative naming style that blends the familiar Sha- sound with the popular -kayla suffix, a construction common among invented names of the 1980s and 1990s. Though it has never ranked nationally, its trajectory has been stable, with no significant resurgence. Shakeyla is overwhelmingly chosen for girls.
Shakeyla is a modern American coinage that emerged in the late 20th century, part of a trend of inventing names starting with Sha- (often inspired by names like Shakira or Shakeisha) and ending with -kayla (derived from Kayla, itself a modern variant of Michaela). It first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1981 and saw modest use, peaking in 1992. Its formation reflects the creative naming style common in African American communities during that era.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Shay, Kayla, Keke
Sibling names for Shakeyla
Names that share Shakeyla's style, for a brother or sister.
