Given name
Leyla
“night”·“a beauty of the night; born at nightfall”
In English use, Leyla has a related form in Leila. One Arabic interpretation is “night.” Leyla is a variant of Laila. One Arabic interpretation is “a beauty of the night; born at nightfall.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Leyla has a related form in Leila. One Arabic interpretation is “night.” Leyla is a variant of Laila. One Arabic interpretation is “a beauty of the night; born at nightfall.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Leyla has a related form in Leila. An origin associated with Leila is Arabic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Turkish usage, Leyla developed from لَيْلَى.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1957. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Leyla has a related form in Leila. The history of Leila gives this family its wider story. Byron used Leila in The Giaour and Don Juan, and Edward Bulwer-Lytton used it for the heroine of his novel Leila. These works helped make the Arabic name familiar to English-speaking readers.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Leyla through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 10,564
- 0 boys · 10,564 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 504 babies
- 2025
- 478
- #611 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +8%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 478 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 611 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 7.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (72). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,255 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.
Leyla’s family of names
In Turkish usage, Leyla developed from the Arabic form لَيْلَى. In English usage, Leyla has a related form in Leila. Leyla has a related form in Laila.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Leyla has relatives in 4 languages.
4 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Leyla
- Leyla ZanaTurkish statesperson (born 1961)
- Leyla MammadbeyovaAzerbaijani and Soviet aviator (1909-1989)
- Leyla ErbilTurkish writer (1931–2013)
- Leyla AliyevaAzerbaijani journalistborn 1985
- Leyla AliyevaAzerbaijani television-presenter, born 1986
- Leyla YunusAzerbaijani activistborn 1955
- Leyla Lydia TuğutluTurkish actor (born 1989)
- Leyla MilaniCanadian actor and modelborn 1982
- Leyla BadirbeyliAzerbaijani actress (1920–1999)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Leyla, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lylah
“night” · “born at night”
>99% girls
Lyla
“night” · “born at night”
>99% girls
Lila
“born at night” · “resembling a lily”
>99% girls
Emmy
“rival”
>99% girls
Lucy
“light”
>99% girls
Ophelia
“help” · “one who offers help to others”
>99% girls
Honey
“a very sweet woman”
>99% girls
Gretel
“resembling a pearl”
>99% girls