Lyla Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LY-lah /ˈlaɪ.lə/
Origin: Arabic; Hebrew; English
Meaning: Arabic: night; Hebrew: delicate; English: derived from Lila
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Lyla has its roots in the Arabic word "laylah," which means "night." This term has been adopted into various languages, including Hebrew, where it is spelled "lailah." The transition into English likely occurred through cultural exchanges and the influence of Arabic literature, particularly during the Middle Ages when translations of Arabic texts were made into Latin and subsequently into vernacular languages. The name Lyla can also be linked to the Persian word "laili," which carries a similar meaning and has been popularized through various literary works, including the famous Persian romantic tale of "Layla and Majnun" from the 7th century, which has been retold in numerous cultures over the centuries.
Historically, the name Lyla and its variants have been associated with themes of beauty and mystery, often linked to the night sky. In the context of Arabic culture, night is often seen as a time of romance and reflection, which adds to the name's allure.
The name has appeared in various forms across different cultures, including Lila and Leila, each carrying the same nocturnal connotation. The spread of the name can be traced through significant literary works and translations, including the influence of the 19th-century English translations of Persian poetry, which brought the story of Layla and Majnun to a broader audience.
Culturally, the name Lyla has been embraced in various artistic expressions, symbolizing beauty and the enchanting qualities of the night. It has been used in literature, music, and film, often evoking themes of love and longing.
The enduring nature of the name can be attributed to its lyrical quality and the rich cultural narratives associated with it. The diminutive form "Lily" has also emerged in some contexts, drawing a connection to the flower, which symbolizes purity and beauty, further enhancing the name's resonance across cultures.
Famous people named Lyla
In this section, you will find notable people named Lyla. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Lyla who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Lyla who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Lyla Garrity is a fictional character best known for her role in the television series Friday Night Lights.
Lyla Rose is an entrepreneur best known for founding the company Lyla Rose and her work in the fashion industry.
Fictional characters named Lyla
The following list of fictional characters named Lyla is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Lyla is a fictional character from the animated television series The Fairly OddParents. She is a fairy who serves as a love interest for Timmy Turner in the series.
Lyla is a fictional character from the video game series Borderlands. She is a skilled vault hunter known for her agility and combat prowess.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lyla, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Lyla. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Lyla was first seen in the United States in 1884.
Lyla has ranked as high as #200 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Lyla has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Lyla is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Lyla was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Lyla (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 282 | |
| CA | 236 | |
| FL | 154 | |
| PA | 131 | |
| OH | 114 | |
| NY | 114 | |
| IL | 112 | |
| NC | 95 | |
| GA | 89 | |
| TN | 84 | |
| AZ | 76 | |
| CO | 72 | |
| NJ | 69 | |
| UT | 68 | |
| MA | 68 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Lyla.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,944 |
| 2023 | 2,655 |
| 2022 | 2,664 |
| 2021 | 2,520 |
| 2020 | 2,307 |
| 2019 | 2,449 |
| 2018 | 2,305 |
| 2017 | 2,268 |
| 2016 | 2,224 |
| 2015 | 2,276 |
| 2014 | 2,383 |
| 2013 | 2,083 |
| 2012 | 2,225 |
| 2011 | 2,416 |
| 2010 | 2,290 |
| 2009 | 2,070 |
| 2008 | 1,508 |
| 2007 | 887 |
| 2006 | 449 |
| 2005 | 293 |
| 2004 | 208 |
| 2003 | 196 |
| 2002 | 139 |
| 2001 | 119 |
| 2000 | 98 |
| 1999 | 84 |
| 1998 | 64 |
| 1997 | 34 |
| 1996 | 29 |
| 1995 | 26 |
| 1994 | 20 |
| 1993 | 29 |
| 1992 | 26 |
| 1991 | 30 |
| 1990 | 34 |
| 1989 | 29 |
| 1988 | 24 |
| 1987 | 15 |
| 1986 | 23 |
| 1985 | 27 |
| 1984 | 21 |
| 1983 | 17 |
| 1982 | 21 |
| 1981 | 20 |
| 1980 | 18 |
| 1979 | 20 |
| 1978 | 15 |
| 1977 | 28 |
| 1976 | 17 |
| 1975 | 22 |
| 1974 | 18 |
| 1973 | 19 |
| 1972 | 18 |
| 1971 | 16 |
| 1970 | 17 |
| 1969 | 17 |
| 1968 | 14 |
| 1967 | 11 |
| 1966 | 14 |
| 1965 | 14 |
| 1964 | 20 |
| 1963 | 28 |
| 1962 | 33 |
| 1961 | 30 |
| 1960 | 29 |
| 1959 | 31 |
| 1958 | 26 |
| 1957 | 40 |
| 1956 | 51 |
| 1955 | 37 |
| 1954 | 46 |
| 1953 | 50 |
| 1952 | 48 |
| 1951 | 62 |
| 1950 | 50 |
| 1949 | 51 |
| 1948 | 66 |
| 1947 | 49 |
| 1946 | 61 |
| 1945 | 61 |
| 1944 | 43 |
| 1943 | 81 |
| 1942 | 70 |
| 1941 | 53 |
| 1940 | 74 |
| 1939 | 65 |
| 1938 | 61 |
| 1937 | 50 |
| 1936 | 61 |
| 1935 | 62 |
| 1934 | 66 |
| 1933 | 64 |
| 1932 | 64 |
| 1931 | 66 |
| 1930 | 75 |
| 1929 | 80 |
| 1928 | 73 |
| 1927 | 79 |
| 1926 | 89 |
| 1925 | 117 |
| 1924 | 103 |
| 1923 | 82 |
| 1922 | 78 |
| 1921 | 86 |
| 1920 | 69 |
| 1919 | 50 |
| 1918 | 67 |
| 1917 | 51 |
| 1916 | 60 |
| 1915 | 52 |
| 1914 | 43 |
| 1913 | 35 |
| 1912 | 35 |
| 1911 | 13 |
| 1910 | 21 |
| 1909 | 10 |
| 1908 | 20 |
| 1907 | 11 |
| 1906 | 16 |
| 1905 | 10 |
| 1904 | 10 |
| 1903 | 13 |
| 1902 | 11 |
| 1901 | 9 |
| 1900 | 14 |
| 1899 | 5 |
| 1898 | 13 |
| 1897 | 12 |
| 1896 | 15 |
| 1895 | 11 |
| 1894 | 13 |
| 1893 | 14 |
| 1892 | 9 |
| 1891 | 7 |
| 1890 | 10 |
| 1889 | 6 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1884 | 7 |