Layla
LAY-luh /ˈleɪ.lə/
Meaning of Layla
Layla (Arabic: لَيْلَى, Laylā) means 'night' and by extension a woman with dark hair and dark eyes. The name is ancient in Arabic poetry: the 7th-century romance of Qays and Laylā is one of the most celebrated love stories in the Arabic literary tradition. Eric Clapton's 1970 rock ballad Layla introduced the name to English-speaking audiences, and it has been climbing steadily since the 2000s.
Current popularity of Layla
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #25 |
| United Kingdom (ONS) | 2024 | #21 |
| AR | 2024 | #6 |
Cultural notes
One of the Arabic names with the broadest crossover into non-Arabic-speaking families in the UK and US over the past two decades.
Notable bearers of Layla
Laylā (7th-century Arabic love story); Layla (Eric Clapton, 1970).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Layla — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31