Kalayla
Of unknown origin, potentially a combination of the names Kayla and Layla.
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the first name Kalayla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kalayla today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kalayla births was 2012 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kalayla. 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
133
~ 1 in 2,577,100 Americans
Peak year
2012
12 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,258
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Kalayla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kalayla from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 69 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Kalayla remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kalayla 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 Kalayla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kalayla
The name Kalayla is a relatively modern invention, with its origins rooted in the late 20th century. It is believed to be a creative combination of the names Kalani and Layla, both of which have distinct cultural backgrounds. Kalani is a Hawaiian name meaning "the heavens" or "the sky," while Layla is an Arabic name derived from the word "laylah," meaning "night."
This unique blend of Hawaiian and Arabic influences suggests a desire to create a name that encompasses elements of diverse cultures and traditions. Despite its recent coinage, the name Kalayla has gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in the United States and parts of Europe.
While there are no known historical references to the name Kalayla in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its component names, Kalani and Layla, have their own rich histories. Kalani has been a popular Hawaiian name for centuries, often associated with royalty and nobility. Layla, on the other hand, has roots in Arabic literature and poetry, notably in the famous work "Layla and Majnun," a tragic love story that has inspired countless artistic interpretations throughout the ages.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Kalayla are relatively recent, with the first known mentions appearing in birth records and online forums in the late 1990s and early 2000s. As for famous individuals bearing this name, there are a few notable examples:
1. Kalayla Clements, an American professional wrestler and former WWE NXT wrestler, born in 1991.
2. Kalayla Garza, an American singer and songwriter, best known for her appearances on the reality TV show "American Idol."
3. Kalayla Chavez, a Mexican-American influencer and social media personality, known for her fashion and lifestyle content.
4. Kalayla Johnson, an American author and poet, whose works often explore themes of identity and self-discovery.
5. Kalayla Sampson, a Canadian actress and model, who has appeared in various television shows and commercials.
While the name Kalayla may be a relatively recent addition to the vast tapestry of given names, its blend of cultural influences and unique sound have captured the imagination of parents and individuals alike, making it a name that continues to gain traction in various parts of the world.
People
Kalayla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kalayla as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kalayla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kalayla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 133 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kalayla 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 2,577,100 US residents.
Is Kalayla a common name?
We classify Kalayla as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 134 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kalayla most popular?
The single biggest year for Kalayla was 2012, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kalayla is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Kalayla in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kalayla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kalayla 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.
Is Kalayla still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kalayla in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Kalayla can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Kalayla?
Want to know how many Americans are named Kalayla? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.