Lyla Girl

Popularity: #77 · Trend: ↗ Rising

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.

LiamLunaLeoLaylaLaraLydia

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.

MilaNylaKylaIslaZylaRylaTyla

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Lyla was first seen in the United States in 1884.

Lyla has ranked as high as #201 nationally, which occurred in 2025, 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.

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 Total Births Boy Girl
2025 3,089 0 3,089
2024 2,954 0 2,954
2023 2,659 0 2,659
2022 2,665 0 2,665
2021 2,526 5 2,521
2020 2,307 0 2,307
2019 2,449 0 2,449
2018 2,306 0 2,306
2017 2,269 0 2,269
2016 2,224 0 2,224
2015 2,276 0 2,276
2014 2,383 0 2,383
2013 2,082 0 2,082
2012 2,225 0 2,225
2011 2,416 0 2,416
2010 2,291 0 2,291
2009 2,071 0 2,071
2008 1,508 0 1,508
2007 887 0 887
2006 449 0 449
2005 293 0 293
2004 208 0 208
2003 197 0 197
2002 139 0 139
2001 119 0 119
2000 98 0 98
1999 84 0 84
1998 64 0 64
1997 34 0 34
1996 29 0 29
1995 26 0 26
1994 20 0 20
1993 29 0 29
1992 26 0 26
1991 30 0 30
1990 34 0 34
1989 29 0 29
1988 24 0 24
1987 15 0 15
1986 23 0 23
1985 27 0 27
1984 21 0 21
1983 17 0 17
1982 21 0 21
1981 20 0 20
1980 18 0 18
1979 20 0 20
1978 15 0 15
1977 28 0 28
1976 17 0 17
1975 22 0 22
1974 18 0 18
1973 19 0 19
1972 18 0 18
1971 16 0 16
1970 17 0 17
1969 17 0 17
1968 14 0 14
1967 11 0 11
1966 14 0 14
1965 14 0 14
1964 20 0 20
1963 28 0 28
1962 33 0 33
1961 30 0 30
1960 29 0 29
1959 31 0 31
1958 26 0 26
1957 40 0 40
1956 51 0 51
1955 37 0 37
1954 46 0 46
1953 50 0 50
1952 48 0 48
1951 62 0 62
1950 50 0 50
1949 51 0 51
1948 66 0 66
1947 49 0 49
1946 61 0 61
1945 61 0 61
1944 43 0 43
1943 81 0 81
1942 70 0 70
1941 53 0 53
1940 74 0 74
1939 65 0 65
1938 61 0 61
1937 50 0 50
1936 61 0 61
1935 62 0 62
1934 66 0 66
1933 64 0 64
1932 64 0 64
1931 66 0 66
1930 75 0 75
1929 80 0 80
1928 73 0 73
1927 79 0 79
1926 89 0 89
1925 117 0 117
1924 103 0 103
1923 82 0 82
1922 78 0 78
1921 86 0 86
1920 69 0 69
1919 50 0 50
1918 67 0 67
1917 51 0 51
1916 60 0 60
1915 52 0 52
1914 43 0 43
1913 35 0 35
1912 35 0 35
1911 13 0 13
1910 21 0 21
1909 10 0 10
1908 20 0 20
1907 11 0 11
1906 16 0 16
1905 10 0 10
1904 10 0 10
1903 13 0 13
1902 11 0 11
1901 9 0 9
1900 14 0 14
1899 5 0 5
1898 13 0 13
1897 12 0 12
1896 15 0 15
1895 11 0 11
1894 13 0 13
1893 14 0 14
1892 9 0 9
1891 7 0 7
1890 10 0 10
1889 6 0 6
1885 5 0 5
1884 7 0 7

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 282
10%
CA 236
8%
FL 154
5%
PA 131
4%
OH 114
4%
NY 114
4%
IL 112
4%
NC 95
3%
GA 89
3%
MI 85
3%
TN 84
3%
AZ 76
3%
CO 72
2%
NJ 69
2%
UT 68
2%
MA 68
2%
WA 68
2%
VA 67
2%
MO 64
2%
KY 62
2%
MN 60
2%
IN 60
2%
SC 53
2%
WI 52
2%
OR 44
2%
MD 44
2%
AL 43
1%
AR 41
1%
KS 40
1%
IA 40
1%
LA 37
1%
CT 37
1%
OK 34
1%
ID 32
1%
MS 30
1%
NE 23
1%
NH 22
1%
NV 20
1%
RI 17
1%
NM 16
1%
WV 13
0%
ND 12
0%
ME 10
0%
SD 10
0%
AK 9
0%
MT 9
0%
HI 8
0%
DE 7
0%