Alternatives to Layla

  1. Lilia
    • Origin:

      Spanish, Italian and Russian
    • Meaning:

      "lily"
    • Description:

      Lilia is pretty double L name that makes for sparkly, floral choice with plenty of international flair. More distinctive that Lily, less popular than Liliana, Lia, and Lilian, Lilia was a new entry to the US Top 1000 in 2023.
  2. Liliana
    • Origin:

      Italian and Spanish variations of Lilian
    • Meaning:

      "lily, a flower"
    • Description:

      Frilly and fit for a princess, but with plenty of spark and flair, Liliana holds international appeal and a modern glamor. Joining Lily and Lillian in the US Top 100 for the first time in 2022, Liliana is a fast-rising choice for girls.
  3. Lilith
    • Origin:

      Assyrian, Sumerian
    • Meaning:

      "ghost, night monster"
    • Description:

      Lilith is derived from the Akkadian word lilitu meaning "of the night." In Jewish folklore she is portrayed as Adam's rejected first wife, who was turned into a night demon for refusing to obey him. Lilith is unrelated to most other Lil- names, with the exception of Lilita, which is the Latvian variation.
  4. Lilla
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "lilac"
    • Description:

      An underused member of the Lily group of names. The spelling makes it clear you want it to rhyme with Willa.
  5. Lola
    • Origin:

      Spanish, diminutive of Dolores
    • Meaning:

      "lady of sorrows"
    • Description:

      A hot starbaby name – chosen by Kelly Ripa, Chris Rock, Lisa Bonet, Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen, Carnie Wilson, and Annie Lennox, and used as the nickname of Madonna's Lourdes – Lola manages to feel fun and sassy without going over the top. Be warned, though: "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets," to quote a song from the show Damn Yankees.
  6. Luella
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Louella
    • Meaning:

      "battle famous fairy maiden"
    • Description:

      Luella is a sleeker spelling variant of the girls' name Louella and is now more popular than the original. Sweet, but lively, it was a popular name in the the early 19th century, but fell out of favor in the 50s. Now, after a 60 year absence, it's back in the charts, in the US and the UK.
  7. Lula
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of any Lu name
    • Description:

      Lula is one of the livelier nickname-names with the fashionable double-L sound: It joins Lulu, Lila, Lily, and Lou among the trendiest names today. Lula might be short for Talula and sisters or for Lucy or Louise, or may stand on its own two adorable feet. Lula was actually a Top 50 name in the late 1880's and continued in the Top 100 for a couple of decades more.
  8. Lulu
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Louise or Lucy, or Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Lula has a firecracker personality, a singing and dancing extrovert. Interesting that Lulu was a Top 100 name when the Social Security list was born in 1880, but it's been sliding ever since and has not been in the Top 1000 for decades. Modern parents in love with Lulu might well reverse that trend.
  9. Luna
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "moon"
    • Description:

      The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10 status in the US and its widespread international popularity.
  10. Lyle
    • Origin:

      Scottish and English from French
    • Meaning:

      "someone who lives on an island"
    • Description:

      Though it's used far more often for boys, Lyle has a lot in common with today's trending girl names that share the double L sound: Lila, Layla, and Lola.
  11. Laylee
    • Mala
      • Origin:

        Sanskrit
      • Meaning:

        "necklace, garland"
      • Description:

        Mala is one of those names that's both simple and exotic, easy to pronounce yet unfamiliar to many English speakers.
    • Maya
      • Origin:

        Greek; Central American Indian empire name; Latinate variation of May; Spanish, diminutive of Amalia; variation of Maia; Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "water"
      • Description:

        Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel, and Brazil. It's ranked in the US Top 100 since the turn of this century, but has never risen to the top of the list, which you may consider a good thing.
    • Mayla
      • Mckayla
        • Origin:

          Variation of Michaela
        • Meaning:

          "who is like God"
        • Description:

          Is this popular name really Michaela, or is it a combination of McKenna and Kayla. The real answer: it's a fusion of trends.
      • Mila
        • Origin:

          Slavic, Russian
        • Meaning:

          "gracious; dear"
        • Description:

          Mila is a popular name that took a 125 year nap, ranking in the Top 1000 in 1881 and then not ranking again until 2006, after actress Mila Kunis appeared on That 70s Show.
      • Myla
        • Origin:

          Spelling variation of Mila or feminine variation of Milo
        • Meaning:

          "soldier or merciful"
        • Description:

          Myla can be seen as a female variation of Milo or a different spelling for popular Mila. Though frequently unnecessary in alternate spellings, the "y" here does connote a specific pronunciation.
      • Nala
        • Origin:

          African, meaning unknown
        • Description:

          A Disney name—Nala was the friend who became the wife of Simba, hero of The Lion King. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2015.
      • Nisha
        • Origin:

          Sanskrit
        • Meaning:

          "night"
        • Description:

          Pretty name that hit the popularity charts in England in the late 1990s.
      • Nyla
        • Origin:

          Arabic, Sanskrit, Irish, modern invention
        • Meaning:

          "winner, one who achieves; hero; cloud; wind, air; dark blue"
        • Description:

          Bright, spirited, and playful, Nyla shares sounds with the popular Isla, Lila, Layla, and Delilah, making it feel fresh and in style. A name with a number of possible origins, it made a brief, anomalous appearance on the US charts in 1941, before disappearing again for the next 60 years. It has been back in the US Top 1000 since 2001, and is currently on the rise, given to around 1230 girls each year.