NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Maila

A feminine name of Swedish origin meaning "land's fertile area".

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.

Maila is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Maila popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 9 births.

This profile covers 54 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 2013 to 2024. 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 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 54 living people in the UK are called Maila. 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

  • Maila ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2022, when 9 girls were registered as Maila.
  • About 54 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maila as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4843

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

2022

9 births

Estimated living

54

2026

Meaning

What does Maila mean?

The name Maila has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It can be traced back to the Vedic period, which spans from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. The name Maila is derived from the Sanskrit word 'mala', which means 'garland' or 'wreath'.

In Hindu mythology, garlands hold a significant place as they are often used in religious ceremonies and rituals. They are offered to deities as a symbol of reverence and devotion. As such, the name Maila could have been associated with religious or spiritual connotations in its early usage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maila can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, which is believed to have been composed between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE. In the epic, Maila is mentioned as the name of a minor character, a prince from a kingdom in the central regions of the Indian subcontinent.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Maila. One of the earliest recorded instances is Maila, a 7th-century Indian philosopher and scholar who contributed to the development of the Nyaya school of Hindu philosophy. He is believed to have lived between 620 CE and 670 CE.

Another prominent figure with the name Maila was Maila Mukhtar, a 16th-century Indian poet and writer from the Mughal Empire. He was born in 1550 and is known for his contributions to the literary traditions of the Urdu and Persian languages.

In the 18th century, Maila Ancilla was a Swedish botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of lichens. She was born in 1718 and lived until 1782.

Moving into the 20th century, Maila Nurmi was an American actress and television personality who gained fame for her portrayal of the character Vampira in the 1950s. She was born in 1922 and passed away in 2008.

More recently, Maila Lani Eichholz is a contemporary American singer and songwriter known for her work in the indie folk and alternative rock genres. She was born in 1988 and continues to be an active performer and recording artist.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Maila throughout history, each contributing to various fields and leaving their mark in their respective domains.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Maila over time

The chart below shows babies named Maila registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2013 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 Maila, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Maila
02579201320182024

Decades

Maila by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maila 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 #3773 30 5
2010s #5092 24 6

Related

Names similar to Maila

FAQ

Maila: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Maila was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Maila most popular?

The peak year on record was 2022, with 9 babies registered as Maila in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Maila?

A feminine name of Swedish origin meaning "land's fertile area".

How many people are called Maila in the UK?

A total of 54 babies have been registered as Maila across the 11 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.