Laila
Laila Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
LAY-lah
Meaning of Laila: Laila derives from the Arabic root layla, meaning “night” or “darkness.” The name is attested in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, where the night carried associations with beauty, mystery, and longing.
It is closely related to the Hebrew name Lilah and shares a root with Leila and Layla, all variant spellings of the same Arabic origin.
The name gained widespread cultural resonance through the 7th-century Arabic oral tradition of Layla and Qays, later reworked by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in the 12th-century epic Layla and Majnun.
What Does Laila Mean? Origin & Etymology
In the poem, Layla represents an ideal of beauty so overwhelming that her suitor Qays loses his sanity — hence Majnun, meaning “madman.” The story influenced Persian, Urdu, Azerbaijani, and Turkish literary traditions and remains one of the most referenced love narratives in Islamic literature.
In the United States, Laila entered the SSA top 1000 in the early 2000s and has climbed steadily.
The multiple spellings — Laila, Leila, and Layla — collectively rank among the top 100 names for girls in the 2010s and 2020s. Boxer Muhammad Ali named his daughter Laila, contributing to the name’s visibility in American popular culture.
Further reading: etymology records and US popularity records from SSA.
How Popular Is Laila?
Numerology & Symbolism of Laila
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Laila – Similar Names & Alternatives
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Frequently Asked Questions about Laila
What does the name Laila mean?
Laila means “night” or “darkness” in Arabic. The root layla appears in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, where night carried associations with beauty and longing.
What is the origin of the name Laila?
What is the story of Layla and Majnun as it relates to the name Laila?
Layla and Majnun is a 7th-century Arabic love story, later reworked by Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in the 12th century. Layla is the ideal of beauty, and her suitor Qays becomes “majnun” (madman) from unrequited love.