Layla vs Mila
Layla and Milacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Layla was ranked #50 and Mila #11 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Layla was ranked #35 and Mila #21 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Layla was ranked #41 and Mila #30 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Layla was ranked #56 and Mila #46 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Layla was ranked #60 and Mila #80 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Layla was ranked #91 and Mila #150 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Layla and Mila over time
Layla and Mila appear together in 5 published lists, across 95 years of shared records. Layla held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Mila in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Layla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Mila in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Girls, Mila moved into the top 50 at #47 in 2020 as Layla fell out of it to #51, having been #48 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2020, Mila moved ahead of Layla in England and Wales · Girls — #48 and #50 the year before became #51 and #47.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Layla #24 in 2020, Mila #18 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Layla held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Mila in 5.
Highest recorded here: Layla #29 in 2012, Mila #35 in 2023.
The order changed in 2020: Mila moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #48 and #50; by 2020 that had become #51 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Layla #56, Mila #46.
Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 2002–2025
Layla held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Mila in 1.
Highest recorded here: Layla #44 in 2016, Mila #58 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Layla #60, Mila #80.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 2011–2025
Layla held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Mila in 9.
Highest recorded here: Layla #24 in 2020, Mila #18 in 2022.
The order changed in 2017: Mila moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #30 and #39; by 2017 that had become #36 and #31.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Layla #35, Mila #21.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2010–2023
Layla held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mila in 14.
Highest recorded here: Layla #29 in 2022, Mila #4 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Layla #50, Mila #11.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2011–2024
Layla held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Mila in 1.
Highest recorded here: Layla #62 in 2019, Mila #72 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Layla #91, Mila #150.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Layla | Mila |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Means 'night' in Arabic. | Commonly interpreted as 'gracious, dear', from the Slavic element milu. Originally used as a short form of longer names containing that element before becoming an independent given name. |
| Origin | Arabic | Slavic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈleɪlə/ | /ˈmi.ɫa/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #35 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Layla is recorded with a Arabic origin, while Mila is recorded with a Slavic origin.
- Layla and Mila both have 2 syllables.
- Layla's recorded meaning differs from Mila's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Layla
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #529 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2004–2025
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2020 (recorded 2004–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #35 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Mila
Popularity journey
First recorded1981
First recorded at #653 among girls in Norway in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded2010–2023
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 2022 (recorded 2010–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #21 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls