Layla
night, dark beauty
- Origin
- Arabic
- Religion
- Muslim
- Gender
- Girl
- Country
- Lebanon
- Pronunciation
- LAY-lah
- Popularity
- stable
About the name Layla
Layla is a girl name of Arabic origin meaning "night, dark beauty". It is most commonly used in Muslim families and is especially popular in Lebanon.
Layla is the heroine of Layla and Majnun, the 12th-century Persian retelling of an older Arabian love story that shaped centuries of poetry across the Islamic world — and, through Eric Clapton's 1970 song, reached Western pop culture too. The name has sat in the US top 50 for girls for over a decade, with Leila and Laila as near-equal spellings.
Variants and spellings: Leila, Laila, Leyla.
Popularity trend: Layla has held a steady level of use rather than spiking or fading.
Reviewed by the Babbloom Editorial Team. Read our editorial methodology.
Frequently asked about Layla
- What does the name Layla mean?
- Layla means "night, dark beauty". It's a girl name of Arabic origin, most commonly used in Muslim families and popular in Lebanon.
- Where does the name Layla come from?
- Layla originates from Arabic. On Babbloom it's classified in the Muslim naming tradition.
- Is Layla a boy or girl name?
- Layla is a girl name.