Zaila
Winner, victor; of Arabic origin meaning "shadow" or "shade".
Name Census estimates that about 821 living Americans carry the first name Zaila. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zaila today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zaila births was 2023 (101 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zaila. 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
821
~ 1 in 417,484 Americans
Peak year
2023
101 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,739
Tracked since 2000
Popularity
Zaila: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zaila 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 358 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zaila 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 Zaila during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zailas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Zaila, while Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 23 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zaila
The name Zaila is of uncertain origin, with various theories proposed about its roots and meaning. One interpretation suggests that it may derive from the Arabic word "zail," meaning "shadow" or "shade." Another possibility is that it stems from the Persian word "zail," meaning "beautiful" or "radiant."
Some scholars trace the name's origins to the Sanskrit language, where "zail" could refer to a type of musical instrument or a specific melody. There are also theories linking Zaila to the Hebrew word "tzela," meaning "rib" or "side," potentially connecting it to the biblical story of Eve's creation from Adam's rib.
In ancient times, the name Zaila appeared in various cultures and regions, though its exact historical references are scarce. One of the earliest recorded instances dates back to the 9th century, when a Persian poet named Zaila ibn al-Mubarak composed verses praising the beauty of nature and love.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Zaila. In the 12th century, Zaila al-Andalusi was a renowned female philosopher and mathematician from Al-Andalus (modern-day Spain and Portugal). Her contributions to the fields of astronomy and geometry were highly influential during the Islamic Golden Age.
In the 16th century, Zaila Banu Begum was a powerful Mughal princess and the daughter of Emperor Akbar. She was known for her literary talents and patronage of the arts, and her name appears in various historical accounts and court chronicles from that era.
During the 19th century, Zaila Feijó was a Brazilian abolitionist and advocate for women's rights. She played a pivotal role in the movement to abolish slavery in Brazil and fought tirelessly for social justice and equality.
In the early 20th century, Zaila Nara was an Italian opera singer renowned for her powerful soprano voice. She performed in renowned opera houses across Europe and is remembered for her interpretations of roles in works by composers such as Verdi and Puccini.
Another notable figure with the name Zaila was Zaila Guzmán, a Mexican artist and painter active in the mid-20th century. Her vibrant and colorful works often depicted scenes from everyday life and the cultural richness of Mexico, earning her recognition as one of the country's most celebrated artists.
People
Zaila + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zaila as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zaila: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zaila?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 821 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zaila 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 417,484 US residents.
Is Zaila a common name?
We classify Zaila as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 827 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zaila most popular?
The single biggest year for Zaila was 2023, when 101 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zaila is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zaila a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zaila 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.