Kayla
Meaning of Kayla
Kayla is generally traced to two converging sources: the Yiddish-Hebrew Kaila—ultimately linked to Kelila, “crown” or “laurel”—and an Anglo-American coinage that tacks the diminutive “-la” onto Kay, itself a short form of Katherine. Either way, the name arrived in the United States riding the late-1970s appetite for phonetic freshness, then vaulted from rank 555 in 1977 to an enviable 13th place by 1998, before beginning a measured retreat to today’s mid-300s. Linguistically, KAY-luh is disarmingly straightforward, a two-syllable trochee that nimbly sidesteps most pronunciation pitfalls—a quiet gift to kindergarten teachers everywhere. Culturally, the name is light on historical baggage yet familiar enough to feel established, making it a frequent choice for fictional protagonists who need to sound contemporary without veering into trend-chasing. Parents drawn to Kayla often cite its bright vowel opening, its brisk exit, and its faint echo of classical “laurel” imagery—a subtle nod to achievement without the weight of classical mythology.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as KAY-luh (/ˈkeɪlə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
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Notable People Named Kayla
| Kayla Jean Mueller was an American humanitarian captured by ISIS in Syria in 2013 who died in 2015, and the raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi was later named in her honor. |
| Kayla Harrison is an American mixed martial artist and former judoka who is the UFC womens bantamweight champion, the first woman to win both Olympic gold and a UFC title, a two time PFL lightweight champion, and ranked third pound for pound in June 2025. |
| Kayla Malvina Johnson is a New Zealand netball player who excelled in multiple sports at school, made the New Zealand U21 team in 2008, and helped them finish second at the 2009 World Youth Netball Championships. |
| Kayla Itsines is an Australian personal trainer, author and entrepreneur who helped create Bikini Body Guides and the Sweat with Kayla app, the top earning fitness app in 2016. |
| Kayla Treanor is an American lacrosse coach leading Penn State's women's team, formerly head coach at Syracuse and assistant at Harvard and Boston College. |
| Kayla M Williams is a United States government official and former Army Arabic linguist who chronicled the 2003 Iraq War in Love My Rifle More Than You. |
| Kayla Rose Williams is an American artistic gymnast and the 2009 world and national vault champion. |
| Kayla Banwarth is an American former libero and coach who helped the US national team win gold at the 2014 World Championship and bronze at the 2015 World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics. |
