Markayla
A feminine name of American origin meaning "gracious" or "bitter".
Name Census estimates that about 2,196 living Americans carry the first name Markayla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Markayla today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Markayla births was 2008 (134 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Markayla. 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
2.2K
~ 1 in 156,081 Americans
Peak year
2008
134 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,100
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Markayla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Markayla 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 1,174 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Markayla 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 Markayla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Markaylas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 17 states and territories. Florida, Tennessee, Georgia recorded the most babies named Markayla, while Missouri, Wisconsin, Virginia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 67 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Markayla
The name Markayla is a modern invented name that combines elements from various languages and cultures. It appears to be a blend of the English name Mark, which is derived from the Latin name Marcus, meaning "consecrated to the god Mars," and the Hebrew name Kayla, meaning "crowned" or "laurel wreath."
The earliest known use of the name Markayla dates back to the late 20th century, likely originating in the United States or Canada as part of the trend of creating unique and creative names by combining elements from different linguistic sources. While the name itself does not have a long historical lineage, its components have rich histories that span centuries and continents.
Mark, the English variant of Marcus, has been a popular name since ancient Roman times, with notable historical figures such as Marcus Tullius Cicero, the renowned Roman philosopher and orator (106 BC - 43 BC), and Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher (121 AD - 180 AD). The name Marcus was also borne by several early Christian saints and martyrs, contributing to its enduring popularity throughout the centuries.
Kayla, on the other hand, has its roots in the Hebrew language and culture. It is a variant of the name Kaylah, which was derived from the Hebrew word "keter," meaning "crown" or "laurel wreath." While the name Kayla itself does not have a long recorded history, it gained popularity in the United States and other Western countries in the late 20th century, possibly influenced by the Hebrew and Biblical significance of its root word.
Although the name Markayla is a modern invention, it has been embraced by parents seeking unique and meaningful names for their children. Some notable individuals who have borne this name include Markayla Shaubach, an American actress and singer born in 1992, and Markayla Boykin, an American basketball player born in 1995.
It is worth noting that while the name Markayla may not have a rich historical lineage like some ancient names, its components carry cultural and linguistic significance that contribute to its meaning and appeal. As a relatively new name, its usage and popularity continue to evolve, reflecting the ever-changing landscape of naming traditions.
People
Markayla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Markayla as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Markayla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Markayla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,196 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Markayla 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 156,081 US residents.
Is Markayla a common name?
We classify Markayla as "Rare". It ranks above 94.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,231 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Markayla most popular?
The single biggest year for Markayla was 2008, when 134 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Markayla is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Markayla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Markayla 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.