Is Kayla a Male or Female Name?

Hey friend! As a data analyst and tech geek with a passion for names, I‘m excited to provide an in-depth look at the name Kayla. I know names can carry deep meaning, so let‘s explore Kayla‘s origins and trends to see if it leans male or female.

At a Glance

Here are the key facts on Kayla:

• Overwhelmingly used for girls
• Less than 0.2% of Kaylas are male
• Peaked in popularity in the 1990s
• Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic, Irish, and other roots
• Most meanings relate to “laurels,” “fair,” or “God”

Now let‘s dig deeper into Kayla as a female name, its background and meanings, and how it has been used over time.

Kayla as a Female Name

The name Kayla is undoubtedly feminine. According to recent data:

• 99.84% of people named Kayla are female
• Only 0.16% of Kaylas are male
• Kayla was the 11th most popular girl‘s name in 1991
• In 2021, it was the 157th most popular girl‘s name

So while it’s not impossible to find a male Kayla, it is exceedingly rare.

*Statistics source: Social Security Administration baby name data

This data shows Kayla has remained overwhelmingly feminine over the past decades. While less popular today, it‘s still a common girl‘s name.

Origins and Meanings

The name Kayla has roots in several languages:

• Hebrew: “Laurel crown” or “crown of laurels”
• Yiddish: Diminutive of “Kaila” meaning “slim and fair”
• Arabic: Also “laurel crown”
• Irish: Anglicization of Gaelic surnames like MacCathail
• Latin: Feminine form of Michael, or “who is like God?”
• Greek: “Pure” or “clean”

So variations on “laurels,” “fair,” and references to God are common meanings. This diversity of roots likely contributed to its rise as a modern female name.

Fun fact: laurel crowns were worn by scholars and champions in ancient Greece! So Kayla has an association with victory.

History and Popularity Over Time

The name Kayla first appeared in the 1950s as a combined form of the popular names Kay and Laura using the trendy “-la” ending.

It gained usage through the 1970s and then surged in popularity in the 1990s.

Here’s a look at Kayla’s popularity rankings over time:

*Popularity source: Social Security Administration data

This shows how Kayla shot into the top 20 girl’s names in the 90s after emerging decades earlier. It peaked in 1991 as the 11th most popular girls name.

While not as trendy today, Kayla remains a well-known and commonly used female name. Vintage names like Kayla never fully fade away.

Male Versions of Kayla

Since Kayla is overwhelmingly feminine, what about male versions? Here are some options:

• Kay – The standard masculine spelling
• Kai – A Hebrew name meaning “sea”
• Kaylan – An invented variant that adds a masculine “n” ending

But the formal masculine equivalent of Kayla is Michael. Kayla is considered a feminine derivative of Michael in some languages.

So in summary, while Kayla itself is almost exclusively feminine, Masculine nicknames like Kay or Kai can be options for boys.

Final Thoughts

Kayla has a rich history and various international roots that contribute to its distinctly feminine aura. The statistics and trends clearly show it is a name chosen over 99% of the time for baby girls rather than boys.

But names are what we make them. So if you love the sound of Kayla for a son, alternatives like Kay or Kai could work nicely while still honoring that meaning.

I hope this gives you lots of insight into the name Kayla and its journey from a newly invented girl’s name in the 1950s to a modern classic today. Let me know if you have any other name questions!