Ayla
Ayla is a girls' name of Turkish origin meaning “halo of light around the moon, oak tree.” It ranked #77 in the United States in 2025.
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how do you pronounce Ayla?
AY-lah
where does the name Ayla come from?
Ayla is a Turkish name understood as a halo of moonlight, and separately a Hebrew name connected with a word for an oak tree; the two are unrelated and share only a spelling.
Ayla has dual origins: in Turkish it means 'halo of moonlight,' while in Hebrew it is derived from 'eila' meaning oak tree. The name gained wide recognition through Jean Auel's novel The Clan of the Cave Bear (1980), whose protagonist Ayla is a resourceful prehistoric woman.
how popular is this name?
Ayla has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 39 years since 1987. It peaked at #69 in 2024, and ranked #77 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #77 |
| 2024 | #69 |
| 2023 | #106 |
| 2022 | #98 |
| 2021 | #108 |
| 2020 | #131 |
| 2019 | #162 |
| 2018 | #190 |
| 2017 | #233 |
| 2016 | #258 |
| 2010 | #351 |
| 2000 | #874 |
| 1990 | #817 |
| 1987 | #594 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Ayla fell outside the top 1,000.
what are the nicknames and variants of Ayla?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Ayla?
- Ayla (Clan of the Cave Bear character)
what names are similar to Ayla?
what names go well with Ayla?
Sibling names that share Ayla's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Ayla
What does the name Ayla mean?
Ayla means “halo of light around the moon, oak tree”.
What is the origin of the name Ayla?
Ayla comes from the Turkish naming tradition. Related forms include Aila, Aylah and Eila.
How popular is the name Ayla?
Ayla ranked #77 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 2024, at #69, and it has spent 39 years in the top 1,000 since 1987.
Is Ayla a boy or girl name?
Ayla is primarily a girls' name.
How do you pronounce Ayla?
Ayla is pronounced AY-lah, with 2 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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