Ayla
Turkish, “moonlight, halo”; also matches a Hebrew word for “oak tree,” and was popularized by the novel Clan of the Cave Bear.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Ayla first shows up in the national records in 1963. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in 3 different years between 2022 and 2025. Its biggest year was 2024, when 3,253 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 69 nationally. In 2025 it ranked No. 77 for girls. All told, 38,040 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Aila (4,268), Aylah (2,332), Alaa (1,989), Alla (1,202), Ayala (1,201), Ala (943) (total births since 1880)
Explore Ayla interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6 | No. 5891 |
| 1970s | 15 | No. 9652 |
| 1980s | 1,058 | No. 594 |
| 1990s | 2,431 | No. 736 |
| 2000s | 5,637 | No. 265 |
| 2010s | 12,566 | No. 162 |
| 2020s | 16,327 | No. 69 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.