Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Kaela isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1967. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kaela through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 6,358
- 0 boys · 6,358 girls
- Most popular year
- 1996
- 345 babies
- 2025
- 19
- #6,215 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −16%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 19 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 6,215 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 16.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 345 in 1996. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,598 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Kaela
- Kaela KimuraJapanese pop rock singer, songwriter, model, and TV presenterborn 1984
- Kaela DavisAmerican basketball player (born 1995)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kaela, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.