UK girl's name
Iyla
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "small, diminutive".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Iyla is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Iyla popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #372, with 116 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 150 births.
This profile covers 1,877 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 2002 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 77% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,891 living people in the UK are called Iyla. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Iyla ranked #372 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 116 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 150 girls were registered as Iyla.
- • Iyla ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #350 in 2021.
- • About 1,891 living people in the UK are estimated to have Iyla as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#372
2024
Births in 2024
116
Latest year
Peak year
2018
150 births
Estimated living
1,891
2026
Meaning
What does Iyla mean?
The name Iyla is a modern variant of the Hebrew name Ilana, which means "tree" or "oak tree." The name has its roots in ancient Semitic languages and can be traced back to biblical times. While the exact origin of the spelling "Iyla" is unclear, it is likely a creative twist on the traditional Ilana.
In the Hebrew Bible, the word "ilan" is used to describe various types of trees, often associated with strength, longevity, and wisdom. This connection to nature and resilience may have contributed to the popularity of names like Ilana and its variants.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ilana can be found in the Book of Judges, which mentions a woman named Ilana who was a prophetess during the time of the Judges, around the 12th century BCE. However, the exact spelling "Iyla" does not appear in ancient texts.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Ilana or its variants. In the early 20th century, Ilana Navon (1898-1986) was an Israeli author and playwright, known for her works that explored Jewish identity and the challenges faced by women in a patriarchal society.
Another famous bearer of the name was Ilana Rovner (1939-2023), an American lawyer and jurist who served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 1992 to 2012.
In the realm of entertainment, Ilana Glazer (born 1987) is an American actress, comedian, and writer, best known for co-creating and starring in the Comedy Central series "Broad City."
Ilana Yahav (born 1955) is an Israeli sculptor and multimedia artist, celebrated for her thought-provoking installations that tackle themes of identity, memory, and the human condition.
Lastly, Ilana Mercer (born 1957) is a South African-born American political writer and philosopher, known for her controversial views on various topics, including race, immigration, and Western civilization.
While the name Iyla is a more recent variation, it carries the same essence and symbolism as its Hebrew counterpart, evoking a connection to nature, strength, and perseverance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Iyla over time
The chart below shows babies named Iyla registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Iyla, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 116 births in 2024, compared with 150 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iyla by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Iyla 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 | #389 | 555 | 5 |
| 2010s | #408 | 1,229 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2754 | 93 | 8 |
Geography
Where Iyla is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Iyla. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Iyla ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #350 in 2021.
Across the UK
Iyla in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#749 in 2023
5 years of NRS records, 18 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#350 in 2021
1 years of NISRA records, 4 total registered
Related
Names similar to Iyla
- Isabella 58,822
- Isla 51,854
- Isabelle 46,163
- Imogen 33,758
- Ivy 23,306
- Isabel 20,895
- Isobel 19,706
- Iris 10,353
- India 8,371
- Iqra 4,452
- Indie 3,873
- Iona 3,682
FAQ
Iyla: questions and answers
How popular is the name Iyla in the UK right now?
In 2024, Iyla was ranked #372 for girls in England and Wales, with 116 births registered.
When was Iyla most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 150 babies registered as Iyla in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Iyla?
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "small, diminutive".
How many people are called Iyla in the UK?
A total of 1,877 babies have been registered as Iyla across the 23 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 18 more in Scotland and 4 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Iyla most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Iyla ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #350 in 2021. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.