Girl Arabic / Hebrew 2 syllables

Layla

LAY-lah /ˈleɪlə/

"Child of the night" — a name of mysterious beauty and passionate romance

Layla comes from the Arabic word 'layl' meaning 'night'. In Arabic literature, Layla is the beautiful, unattainable beloved in the great poem Layla and Majnun — the Middle East's answer to Romeo and Juliet. The name carries deep romantic connotations: mysterious, passionate, and deeply desirable. In the West, Eric Clapton's 1970 song 'Layla' brought the name to rock audiences worldwide, and it has been rising in English-speaking countries ever since, celebrated for its exotic beauty and musical resonance.

Quick Facts

Letters5

SyllablesLay-la

GenderGirl

OriginArabic / Hebrew

Root WordLayl

MeaningNight, dark beauty

PopularityVery Popular

Peak Year2022

Trend ↑ Rising

Name DayMarch 21

Nicknames LayLalaLaylabug

About the Name Layla

Layla means 'night' in Arabic. It connotes mystery, beauty, and romantic longing — the beauty of the dark.

Layla and Majnun is a classic Arabic/Persian love story about a man who goes mad (majnun) with love for the beautiful Layla, who is forbidden from him. It's the Middle East's Romeo and Juliet.

Eric Clapton's 1970 song 'Layla' is one reason many Western parents know and love the name — it was itself inspired by the classical Arabic love story.

Layla Rose, Layla Grace, Layla Marie, and Layla Elise are all beautiful combinations.

Yes — Layla has risen rapidly in the US and UK to become a top-25 girl name in the 2020s.

Personality of Layla

Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Layla

creativity 90%

elegance 92%

independence 88%

intelligence 80%

strength 75%

warmth 85%

Famous People Named Layla

Layla (Nizami's poem)

The beautiful beloved in the 12th-century Persian/Arabic classic Layla and Majnun

Layla (Eric Clapton song)

Iconic 1970 rock song that brought the name to Western audiences

Layla Al-Arian

American journalist and political activist

Middle Names for Layla

Beautiful combinations that flow well with Layla

Layla Rose Layla Grace Layla Marie Layla Elise Layla Faith Layla Joy Layla Nicole Layla Dawn Layla Skye Layla Pearl

Names Similar to Layla

Similar Sound

Leila Kayla

Sibling Name Ideas

Aaliyah

History of Layla

7th century CE

The original Layla and Qays love story inspires Arabic poetry and the legend of Layla

1188

Nizami Ganjavi writes Layla and Majnun, making the name synonymous with tragic romance

1970

Eric Clapton releases Layla, introducing the name to millions of Western listeners

2000s

Layla begins climbing US popularity charts

2022

Layla reaches the US top-25, a remarkable journey from Arabic poetry to American mainstream

Numerology & Symbolism of Layla

Destiny Number

Sum of all letters

Soul Urge

Sum of vowels

♍

Zodiac Affinity

Scorpio

Lucky Number

Personal power digit

🎨

Lucky Color

Midnight Blue

💎

Lucky Stone

Obsidian

🌸

Lucky Flower

Night-blooming Jasmine

Layla Around the World

How Layla is written in different languages and scripts

ليلى

Arabic

レイラ

Japanese

Лейла

Russian

레일라

Korean

蕾拉

Chinese

Λέιλα

Greek

लैला

Hindi

לַיְלָה

Hebrew

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