Nayla

Meaning of Nayla

Derived from the classical Arabic root n-w-l, which conveys the sense of “to attain” or “to be bestowed,” Nayla—sometimes rendered Naïla or Naila—bears the meaning “successful achiever” or “gifted one.” The name gained currency across the Levant and North Africa before diffusing into Western naming pools through migration and intercultural exchange, and in the United States it has registered modest but consistent usage: first appearing on the Social Security charts in the early 1980s, it has since remained in the lower tier of the Top-1000, most recently ranking 802nd with 148 newborn bearers in 2024. Pronounced in English as NAY-luh (/neɪlə/), the two-syllable structure provides Anglophone parents with a phonetically straightforward option that nonetheless preserves its Middle-Eastern etymological integrity. Contemporary associations include Lebanese stateswoman Nayla Moawad and visual artist Nayla Kai Saroufim, both of whom reinforce the name’s semantic motif of attainment and creative agency. Accordingly, Nayla offers families a globally resonant choice that unites concise, melodic form with an aspirational, culturally rich heritage.