Aila

Meaning of Aila

Aila, pronounced AY-luh, is a succinct yet culturally layered feminine forename that traces its etymological roots along several northern and eastern arcades: Finnish usage interprets it as a contemporary form of the medieval Aila—ultimately cognate with Helga and signifying “holy” or “blessed”; Scottish Gaelic sources align it with a term for a rocky place, situating it near the Isla family of names; Hebrew lexicons link it to the word ʾēlah, meaning “oak tree,” an ancient emblem of endurance; and its Turkish phonetic analogue Ayla contributes the image of a “moon halo.” In the United States the appellation first surfaced briefly in 1920, withdrew from statistical visibility, and then re-entered the Social Security dataset during the 1980s, thereafter displaying a measured but steady ascent: from single-digit annual occurrences in the mid-1990s to 354 newborn registrations and a national rank of 612 by 2024. This trajectory indicates a growing preference among Anglo-American parents for names that combine phonetic clarity, international portability, and understated nature symbolism. Compact in form yet expansive in cultural resonance, Aila offers a restrained alternative to the more familiar Isla or Ayla while quietly evoking Nordic sanctity, Celtic topography, and Levantine groves in a single, graceful syllable.

Pronunciation

English

• Pronunced as AY-luh (/ˈeɪ.lə/)

• Ayla
• Aria
• Alia
• Ada
• Ava
• Aylin
• Amara