Mikayla
mih-KAY-lah
Mikayla is a modern phonetic feminine form of Michael, from the Hebrew Mikhaʼel meaning “who is like God?” — a rhetorical question affirming divine uniqueness.
The name follows the American tradition of feminizing Michael through altered spellings. Michaela and Mikaela preceded it; Mikayla emerged in the 1980s and 1990s as a further phonetic variant.
Mikayla ranked No. 777 in 2024 with 362 births. It peaked at No. 82 in 1998 with 3,858 births, riding the wave of -ayla suffix names that dominated that era.
What the name Mikayla means
Gymnast Mikayla Skinner (1996–) is among the best-known bearers in recent years. The name’s late-1990s peak coincided with the general fashion for -ayla and -kayla constructions.
Three syllables — mih-KAY-lah — feel open and flowing. The central stress gives it energy, and the -lah ending keeps it soft.
Parents who want the meaning of Michael in a clearly feminine form without the most common spelling often settle on Mikayla or Mikaela. Both carry the same Hebrew heritage.
Related forms include Michaela, Mikaela, Makayla, and McKayla. All are feminine variants of Michael with the same etymological root.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Mikayla
Mikayla - similar names
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