Laylee
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "night" or "dark beauty".
Name Census estimates that about 243 living Americans carry the first name Laylee. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Laylee today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Laylee births was 2011 (27 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Laylee. 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
243
~ 1 in 1,410,512 Americans
Peak year
2011
27 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,840
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Laylee: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Laylee 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 156 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Laylee 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 Laylee 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 Laylee
The name Laylee is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, where it is a variation of the name Layla or Leila. The name has its roots in the Semitic languages and is derived from the Arabic word "layl," which means "night."
In Arabic culture, the name Laylee is often associated with beauty, grace, and elegance, as it evokes the imagery of the night sky and the mystical allure of the moon. The name has been popular in the Middle East for centuries and has been mentioned in various literary works and historical accounts.
One of the earliest and most famous references to the name Laylee can be found in the classic Persian poem "Layla and Majnun" by Nizami Ganjavi, written in the 12th century. The poem tells the tragic love story of Qays ibn al-Mulawwah, who was known as Majnun (the madman), and his beloved Layla. This tale has become a timeless symbol of unconditional love and devotion in Persian and Arabic literature.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Laylee. One of the earliest recorded examples is Layla al-Akhyaliya, a renowned Arab poet and scholar who lived in the 7th century CE. She was known for her intelligence, wit, and mastery of Arabic poetry.
Another historically significant figure with the name Laylee is Layla bint Abi Murrah, a 7th-century Arab woman who was highly respected for her wisdom and knowledge. She is said to have played a crucial role in the early days of Islam, advising the Prophet Muhammad on various matters.
In the 19th century, Laylee Hanoum, also known as Leyla Khanum, was a famous Ottoman princess and painter who was renowned for her artistic talents and patronage of the arts.
In more recent times, Laylee Bakhtiar, born in 1938, is an Iranian-American scholar and author who is best known for her English translation and interpretation of the Quran.
Laylee Mallesons, born in 1946, is an Australian actress and singer who has had a successful career in television, film, and theater.
It is important to note that while these examples provide insights into the historical and cultural significance of the name Laylee, the name has been embraced and celebrated across various cultures and traditions over the centuries.
People
Laylee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Laylee as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Laylee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Laylee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 243 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Laylee 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 1,410,512 US residents.
Is Laylee a common name?
We classify Laylee as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 245 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Laylee most popular?
The single biggest year for Laylee was 2011, when 27 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Laylee is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Laylee a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Laylee 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.