How to say it
LAI · la
/ˈleɪ.lə/
Feminine
Laila
Night
What it means
A spelling of Layla, Arabic laylā, 'night'; also a Scandinavian name of Sami origin.
Laila is one spelling of the Arabic laylā, 'night,' the same name as Layla and Leila, made famous by the classical romance Layla and Majnun. It is also an established Scandinavian name from a Sami root. Boxer Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali, is a prominent bearer. Pronunciations split between LAY-lah and LY-lah. The night-and-romance air is the same across all the spellings.
Popularity over time
peaked at #135 in 2009, currently #413 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Laila, Layla, and Leila are the same Arabic 'night' name; Laila is also a Scandinavian name.
- Pronunciation
LAY-lah or LY-lah.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Laila Ali American boxer, daughter of Muhammad Ali
Spelling variants
- Layla
- Leila
- Laylah