Cyla
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "supreme ruler".
Name Census estimates that about 327 living Americans carry the first name Cyla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cyla today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cyla births was 2002 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cyla. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
327
~ 1 in 1,048,178 Americans
Peak year
2002
17 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,410
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Cyla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cyla from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 128 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Cyla remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cyla by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Cyla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cylas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Cyla
The name Cyla is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek language, with its roots dating back to the classical period of ancient Greece, around the 5th century BCE. It is derived from the Greek word "kylos," which means "curved" or "rounded." This name was likely given to individuals who possessed a curvaceous or well-rounded physical appearance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cyla can be found in the ancient Greek play "Medea" by Euripides, written around 431 BCE. In this tragic work, Cyla is mentioned as a character, although her role is relatively minor. This literary reference provides evidence of the name's usage during the golden age of ancient Greek drama.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Cyla. One such figure is Cyla of Syracuse, a noblewoman who lived in the 4th century BCE. She was known for her involvement in political intrigues and her influence over the powerful tyrant Dionysius II of Syracuse.
In the realm of philosophy, Cyla of Sicyon was a renowned female philosopher who lived during the 4th century BCE. She was a member of the Pythagorean school of thought and was highly respected for her intellectual contributions.
During the Byzantine era, Cyla Palaiologina was a prominent figure in the 13th century CE. She was a member of the influential Palaiologos dynasty and played a significant role in the political affairs of the Byzantine Empire.
Another notable bearer of the name Cyla was Cyla of Anagni, an Italian noblewoman who lived in the 12th century CE. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for various cultural endeavors.
It is worth noting that while the name Cyla has ancient Greek origins, it has also been adopted and used in various other cultures throughout history, albeit with slight variations in spelling or pronunciation. This attests to the enduring legacy and cross-cultural appeal of this name.
People
Cyla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cyla as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cyla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cyla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 327 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cyla going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,048,178 US residents.
Is Cyla a common name?
We classify Cyla as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 332 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cyla most popular?
The single biggest year for Cyla was 2002, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cyla is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cyla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cyla in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.