UK girl's name
Eyla
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "oak tree".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Eyla is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Eyla popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4056, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 6 births.
This profile covers 28 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2013 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 83% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 28 living people in the UK are called Eyla. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Eyla ranked #4056 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 6 girls were registered as Eyla.
- • About 28 living people in the UK are estimated to have Eyla as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4056
2023
Births in 2023
5
Latest year
Peak year
2013
6 births
Estimated living
28
2026
Meaning
What does Eyla mean?
The name Eyla is believed to have its origins in the ancient Germanic languages, particularly Old Norse, where it was derived from the word "ey" meaning "island" or "land by the sea." This suggests that the name may have been borne by individuals who lived in coastal regions or on islands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Eyla dates back to the 9th century, when it appeared in the Icelandic Landnámabók, a medieval manuscript that chronicles the settlement of Iceland. This indicates that the name was already in use among the Norse people who settled in Iceland during the Viking Age.
In the 11th century, the name Eyla was mentioned in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of narratives that recount the lives and adventures of the early Icelandic settlers. One notable figure from this period was Eyla Höddansdóttir, a powerful chieftain's wife who played a significant role in the Laxdæla Saga, one of the most famous Icelandic sagas.
During the Middle Ages, the name Eyla spread beyond the Norse regions and gained popularity in other parts of Europe. In the 13th century, a German noblewoman named Eyla von Andechs was recorded as the Abbess of the Benedictine convent in Andechs, Bavaria.
In the 16th century, the name Eyla was also found in Scotland, where it was borne by Eyla MacLeod, the daughter of a prominent Scottish chief from the Clan MacLeod of Lewis. She lived during the tumultuous period of the Scottish Reformation and was known for her role in defending her family's lands and traditions.
Another notable figure with the name Eyla was Eyla Björnsdóttir, an Icelandic poet and writer who lived in the 17th century. She is celebrated for her contributions to Icelandic literature and for her poems that captured the beauty and harshness of life in Iceland during that era.
While the name Eyla has its roots in the ancient Germanic languages, it has endured through the centuries and continues to be used in various parts of the world today, particularly in Scandinavian countries and regions with strong Norse heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Eyla over time
The chart below shows babies named Eyla registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2013 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Eyla, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2023, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Eyla by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Eyla was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4296 | 9 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4263 | 19 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Eyla
- Emily 121,621
- Ella 69,101
- Ellie 63,522
- Evie 52,944
- Emma 50,755
- Eleanor 40,576
- Elizabeth 39,225
- Erin 34,816
- Eva 29,738
- Evelyn 26,911
- Elsie 23,671
- Emilia 22,167
FAQ
Eyla: questions and answers
How popular is the name Eyla in the UK right now?
In 2023, Eyla was ranked #4056 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Eyla most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 6 babies registered as Eyla in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Eyla?
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "oak tree".
How many people are called Eyla in the UK?
A total of 28 babies have been registered as Eyla across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.