Cayla

Cayla is a variant spelling of Kayla, a name made ultra common in the United States during the 1980s thanks to a popular character named Kayla Brady on the daytime soap opera “Days of Our Lives”. The C version of this name (Cayla) appeared on the American charts for the first time in 1987 (following the success of Kayla). Kayla’s popularity in the U.S. eventually influenced other English-speaking nations to adopt the name in droves (England, Canada, Australia, etc.). Cayla is the much less common spelling and is nowhere near as preferred as Kayla. Largely an American invention, Kayla (and thus Cayla) are coined from the ϋber-popular Kay prefix and the familiar “-la” suffix. It’s a pretty simple name with no true etymology. For the most part, Kayla is the poster child example of the “soap opera” naming trend which took off during the 1980s. The respelling of Cayla just went along for the ride. Separately, Kayla is often considered a transcription of the Yiddish “Kaila” (קַײלָע) meaning “crown of laurel”. In ancient Greek and Roman times, a crown of laurel was rewarded to those who demonstrated supreme achievements in academia and sports, as well as military victory. The laurel crown is also a symbol of martyrdom in Christian tradition.