Shakyla
Of Hebrew origin, possibly referring to a feminine form of Jackal or She-Jackal.
Name Census estimates that about 350 living Americans carry the first name Shakyla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shakyla today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shakyla births was 1992 (35 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shakyla. 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
350
~ 1 in 979,298 Americans
Peak year
1992
35 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2017 SSA rank
#18,056
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Shakyla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shakyla from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 171 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
Shakyla 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 Shakyla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shakylas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shakyla
The name Shakyla is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language and culture, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "shakeel," which means "beautiful" or "graceful." The name was likely created by combining this root word with a feminine suffix, resulting in the name Shakyla.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shakyla can be found in the writings of the renowned 12th-century Arab philosopher and physician, Averroes. In his work "The Incoherence of the Incoherence," he mentions a woman named Shakyla who was known for her wisdom and intellectual prowess.
Throughout the centuries, the name Shakyla has been carried by several notable individuals. In the 14th century, there was Shakyla al-Andalusi, a renowned poet and scholar from the Andalusian region of Spain. Her works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, and she was highly regarded in her time.
Another prominent figure bearing the name was Shakyla bint Al-Rashid, a 9th-century Abbasid princess and patron of the arts. She is credited with supporting and nurturing the growth of literature and poetry during the Golden Age of Islamic civilization.
In the realm of religion, Shakyla al-Qurashi was a revered Islamic scholar and Sufi mystic who lived in the 11th century. Her teachings and writings on spirituality and the inner journey of the soul had a profound impact on the development of Sufism.
Moving forward in time, the 18th century saw the rise of Shakyla Begum, a powerful and influential ruler in the Mughal Empire. She was known for her political acumen and her efforts in promoting education and the arts during her reign.
These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have carried the name Shakyla throughout the ages, demonstrating its rich heritage and diverse cultural influences.
People
Shakyla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shakyla as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shakyla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shakyla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 350 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shakyla 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 979,298 US residents.
Is Shakyla a common name?
We classify Shakyla as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 358 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shakyla most popular?
The single biggest year for Shakyla was 1992, when 35 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shakyla is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shakyla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shakyla 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.