Lyla
LY-lah · 2 syllables
♀ Female ◎ Arabic / Old English ◈ 2 syllables
"Night, dark beauty, dark as night"

From Arabic / Old English

Lyla is Layla with the vowels rearranged — or possibly Lila with a Y. It means night (from Arabic) or dark beauty (from Persian), carrying the same romantic, nocturnal energy as its sister names but with a visual spelling that feels fresh and modern. It's one of the fastest-rising names of the 2010s, appealing to parents who love Layla's sound but want something slightly different on the birth certificate.

← All girl names
Lyla at a glance
MeaningNight, dark beauty, dark as night
OriginArabic / Old English
GenderFemale
Syllables2
NumerologyLife Path 5
US Rank (today)#117
Google AdSense — 728×90
♡
Why parents love Lyla
  • It has Layla's romantic beauty with a different visual identity.
  • Two syllables — LY-lah — feel soft and intimate.
  • The meaning night/dark beauty is mysterious and romantic.
  • It's rising fast but not yet overexposed — the sweet spot.
  • It works as a standalone name or as a variant of Layla or Lila.
◎
The vibe of Lyla
nocturnalromanticmodernsoftintimatemysteriousrisingfresh
◎
Origin & history of Lyla
Arabic layla (night) / Persian lila (dark beauty) → variant spelling Lyla
1
Arabic / Old English roots
Lyla is a modern spelling variant that sits between Layla (Arabic, night) and Lila (Persian/Sanskrit, dark beauty or play). The Y-spelling gives it a visual distinction on paper while maintaining the same beautiful sound. The name has benefited from the popularity of both Layla and Lily, occupying a sweet spot between the two. It entered the US charts in the 2000s and has climbed steadily. The alternate spelling allows parents to honour the Arabic/Persian heritage while creating something that feels personally chosen rather than inherited.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Modern variant spelling; has risen rapidly since the 2010s.
3
Today
Lyla remains a beloved choice, ranking #117 in the US. 46,190 babies have been named Lyla since 1884.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
◆
How popular is Lyla?
2024 peak year
Today, Lyla ranks around #117 in the United States, with roughly 2,462 new arrivals per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 2024, 2,944 babies were given the name (ranked #83 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 2010s. Lyla's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 46,190 babies have been registered as Lyla since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
2,944 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #83)
2,462 Avg. per year
(last decade)
24,620 Total registrations
last 10 years
46,190 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #117) Very popular
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
✦
Numerology of Lyla
5
Life path number
The Adventurer
Freedom, adventure and curiosity.

Lyla's Life Path 4 is the builder's number — grounding the name's dreamy, nocturnal associations with practical strength. People named Lyla tend to combine romanticism with reliability. They dream beautifully and build carefully.

♡
Dreams beautifully
✦
Builds carefully
◈
Romantic reliability
◎
Grounded imagination
♡
Soft strength
L3
Y7
L3
A1
Sum: 14 → Life path 5
♡
Personality of Lyla
🌍
Free spirit
Adventure calls and they always answer.
⚡
Electric energy
Things happen around them — exciting, unexpected.
🦋
Adaptable
New situations are opportunities, never threats.
💬
Natural charmer
There's something magnetic about them.
◎
Names that sound like Lyla

If you love Lyla, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.

♩
Names that combine with Lyla

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Lyla.

♡
Middle names for Lyla

The right middle name turns Lyla into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.

Want a personalised middle name for Lyla? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.

♡ Generate middle name for Lyla →
✦
Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Lyla is a beautiful choice.
Save it to your list, share it with your partner, or keep exploring.
← Browse all girl names
Google AdSense — 728×90