Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Laya 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 1964. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Laya through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,102
- 0 boys · 2,102 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 137 babies
- 2025
- 137
- #1,543 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +4%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 137 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,543 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 3.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (21). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,873 as a first name in 2020; 436 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Laya’s family of names
Laya may belong to the same name family as LAYYA. This is a tentative spelling connection.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Laya
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Laya, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Anaya
“one who looks up to God”
>99% girls
Alayah
Alayah is a feminine given name.
>99% girls
Alaya
Alaya is a feminine given name.
>99% girls
Leiana
>99% girls
Lumi
“snow”
5% boys · 95% girls
Anvika
>99% girls
Layra
>99% girls
Ariyah
Ariyah is a feminine given name.
>99% girls