NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Laiyah

A name of Arabic origin meaning "nights".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Laiyah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Laiyah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5666, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2014 to 2018. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Laiyah. 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 2019 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Laiyah ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2014, when 3 girls were registered as Laiyah.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Laiyah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5666

2018

Births in 2018

3

Latest year

Peak year

2014

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Laiyah mean?

The name Laiyah is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, with its roots traced back to the Middle Eastern region. The earliest known use of this name dates back to the 7th century CE, during the rise of Islam and the spread of Arabic culture across the Middle East and parts of North Africa.

Laiyah is derived from the Arabic word "layla," which means "night" or "dark beauty." This connection to the night sky and its celestial bodies may have held significant symbolism in ancient Arabic traditions and beliefs. The name's spelling has evolved slightly over time, with variations such as Lailah and Leila being observed in historical records.

In Islamic literature, the name Laiyah is mentioned in some accounts as belonging to a prominent figure or companion of the Prophet Muhammad. However, the details surrounding this individual's life and role remain somewhat obscure in historical sources.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Laiyah can be found in the writings of Arab scholars and poets from the 8th and 9th centuries CE. During this period, the name was occasionally used in poetic works and literary texts, often as a symbolic representation of beauty and elegance.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Laiyah. One example is Laiyah al-Amiriya (1192-1262 CE), a celebrated Arabic poet and scholar who lived during the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt and Syria. Her works focused on themes of love, nature, and the human condition, and she was renowned for her mastery of the Arabic language.

Another historically significant figure was Laiyah bint Abi Hatim al-Tamimi (c. 790-850 CE), a renowned Islamic scholar and hadith narrator from Basra, modern-day Iraq. She was respected for her extensive knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her contributions to the preservation and transmission of prophetic traditions.

In the realm of Ottoman history, Laiyah Sultan (1642-1696 CE) was a prominent figure as the daughter of Sultan Ibrahim I and Valide Sultan (Queen Mother) of the Ottoman Empire during the reign of her son, Suleiman II.

Laiyah al-Nabulsi (1589-1661 CE) was a Syrian scholar and poet who lived during the Ottoman era. She gained recognition for her expertise in various fields, including Islamic theology, literature, and calligraphy, and her works were widely circulated and studied in her time.

Lastly, Laiyah al-Baghdadiyah (c. 1240-1300 CE) was an influential Islamic jurist and scholar from Baghdad, known for her contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence and her expertise in the Hanafi school of Islamic law.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Laiyah over time

The chart below shows babies named Laiyah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2014 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Laiyah, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Laiyah
01223201420162018

Decades

Laiyah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Laiyah 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
2010s #5679 6 2

Related

Names similar to Laiyah

FAQ

Laiyah: questions and answers

How popular is the name Laiyah in the UK right now?

In 2018, Laiyah was ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Laiyah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2014, with 3 babies registered as Laiyah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Laiyah?

A name of Arabic origin meaning "nights".

How many people are called Laiyah in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Laiyah across the 2 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.