Mykayla
A girl's name of Hebrew origin with 2,689 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Parents who choose Mykayla tend to be looking for something that feels real but not common — a name with 2,689 recorded births and a peak of 192 in 1999, enough history to feel legitimate without being ordinary.
The open, warm ending gives Mykayla a flowing quality that carries well in both casual and formal settings.
In the most recent SSA release, Mykayla ranks #10000 among U.S. girl names — distinctive enough to stand out.
Mykayla is a girl's baby name of Hebrew origin, a feminine variant spelling of Michaela — the female form of Michael, meaning 'who is like God?' The question is rhetorical, affirming God's incomparability.
Mykayla's phonetic spelling — replacing the standard -ch- with -k- and adding the -ayla ending — represents the American creative naming tradition of the 1990s-2000s. Parents who loved the sound of Michaela but wanted something more distinctive in spelling often landed here.
EtymologyShow more
In the American context, Mykayla is a girl's name with several decades of recorded use (1989–2024). Its Hebrew roots connect it to a broader naming tradition, but in practice, American usage often reshapes names — adding nicknames, shifting pronunciation, and building new associations that diverge from the original cultural context.
Today, Mykayla is an active part of the American naming landscape (ranked #10000), continuing to accumulate its own cultural meaning with each new child who carries it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Mykayla was #1477 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #10000, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 86 | #7340 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 438 | #3984 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 1,319 | #1602 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 831 | #2868 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 15 | #5744 | — |
The Story of Mykayla
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 1999, Mykayla is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Mykayla are most likely born between 1989 and 2009.
How rare is Mykayla?
Only about 1 in every 360,000 babies born in 2024 was named Mykayla — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1989, peaked in the 2000s with 1,319 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Mykayla by the numbers
- Would fill 56 school buses
- Meeting one Mykayla per day would take 7.4 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(36 years, 1989–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | #10000 |
| 2023 | 12 | #8808 |
| 2022 | 20 | #6141 |
| 2021 | 27 | #4919 |
| 2020 | 17 | #6830 |
| 2019 | 19 | #6348 |
| 2018 | 23 | #5572 |
| 2017 | 27 | #5013 |
| 2016 | 39 | #3905 |
| 2015 | 44 | #3576 |
| 2014 | 46 | #3468 |
| 2013 | 48 | #3357 |
| 2012 | 64 | #2758 |
| 2011 | 45 | #3539 |
| 2010 | 83 | #2308 |
| 2009 | 80 | #2415 |
| 2008 | 112 | #1897 |
| 2007 | 129 | #1701 |
| 2006 | 140 | #1557 |
| 2005 | 127 | #1605 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mykayla a boy's or girl's name?
When was Mykayla most popular?
How popular is the name Mykayla?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1989–2024