Mila
MEE-lah
The name Mila is a Slavic name derived from the element mil, meaning gracious, dear, or pleasant. The root descends from the Proto-Slavic *milu, which itself reaches back to the Proto-Indo-European root *mei-, signifying gentleness or affection.
The same element appears in compound names such as Milan, Milena, Miloslav, and Ludmila, where it modifies a second element to produce meanings such as dear to the people or beloved glory.
Mila functions both as an independent name and as a hypocoristic form of these longer compounds.
What the name Mila means
The earliest historical bearer associated with the root is Saint Ludmila of Bohemia (860-921), grandmother of Saint Wenceslaus and the first canonized saint of the Czech people.
Her cult, established shortly after her martyrdom by strangulation at Tetin Castle, made the mil element prestigious throughout Central and Eastern Europe.
The name Mila proper appears in Croatian, Serbian, and Bulgarian church records from the medieval period, often as a baptismal short form for women named Ludmila, Milena, or Emilia.
Literary and cultural use of Mila spans the Slavic literary traditions, with notable appearances in the works of Czech novelist Bohumil Hrabal and Yugoslav poet Desanka Maksimovic.
The Russian Orthodox tradition celebrates several saints bearing related names, and the name appears in the libretto of Bedrich Smetana’s opera The Bartered Bride (1866).
In modern Spanish and Italian usage, Mila also functions as a short form of Milagros and Camila, broadening its appeal across Romance-speaking countries.
Geographic spread of Mila accelerated dramatically in the early 21st century as American and Western European parents embraced short, vowel-rich Slavic names.
In the United States, Social Security Administration records show Mila entering the top 1000 only in 2006, then climbing rapidly to enter the top 100 by 2014 and reaching No.
26 by 2021. The name’s rise paralleled that of similarly structured names such as Ava, Lila, and Nora, reflecting a broader trend toward economical, two-syllable feminine names with international portability.
Contemporary bearers include the Ukrainian-born American actress Mila Kunis, born in 1983, known for Black Swan and That ’70s Show, the Ukrainian-American actress Milla Jovovich, born in 1975, star of The Fifth Element, and the Czech tennis player
Mila Matičová.
The Bulgarian singer Mila Robert and the Serbian artist Mila Manojlovic further illustrate the name’s active use across the Slavic world.
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 Mila
Mila - similar names
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Ways to spell Mila
| Variant | Language |
|---|---|
| Myla | English variant |
| Milah | Hebrew-influenced |
| Milla | Scandinavian/Finnish |
| Milena | Slavic full form |
| Mylla | Spelling variant |