Girl name
Leyla name meaning
“a name associated with night and darkness”
Leyla is a name associated with night and darkness. It comes from Arabic Laylā, related to layl, meaning night, and is used as a feminine given name in Türkiye. Leyla in the story of Leyla and Mecnun, retold by Fuzuli, supplies a clear literary association.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Arabic
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Leyla mean?
A name associated with night and darkness
In Turkish: geceyle, gecenin karanlığıyla bağlantılı ad
Leyla's strongest Turkish literary association is the story of Leyla and Mecnun. Fuzûlî's verse narrative connects it with love, separation, and an elusive beloved. This literary layer is distinct from its night-related origin; Leylâ is a spelling that marks the historical long vowel.
How popular is Leyla?
Official figures: TÜİK newborn name lists (2018–2025, the top 30 for Türkiye and each of the 81 provinces every year) and the most common names in the population.
- Province lists
- 54provinces
- Girls named Leyla in Türkiye (2025)
- 185,230
Where is Leyla in the top 30?
54 provinces · the latest year each province listed it
Double names with Leyla
Double names counted as one name in TÜİK newborn lists (all years and provinces combined).
Source: TurkStat (TÜİK), Address-Based Population Registration System. The lists cover the top 30 names per year, sex and province; no official counts are published for less common names. All statistics →
Why is Leyla popular?
Leyla carries a longstanding literary association with Leyla and Mecnun. Its flowing sound and night-related meaning offer poetic appeal, although it stayed outside the supplied newborn top thirty.
Origin of the name Leyla
Leyla comes from Arabic Laylā and is associated with layl, meaning night. Interpretations involving dark-haired beauty develop the name's night imagery rather than giving a precise literal translation.
| Linguistic origin | Arabic |
|---|---|
| In Turkic history and myth | Names from Turkic epics |
| Is Leyla in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | L · Le |
Double names with Leyla
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Leyla Müşerref
Meaning of each name
- Leyla: a name associated with night and darkness
- Müşerref: honored, accorded distinction
-
Viyan Leyla
Meaning of each name
- Viyan: love, affection; desire, wish
- Leyla: a name associated with night and darkness
-
Leyla Ferah
Meaning of each name
- Leyla: a name associated with night and darkness
- Ferah: joy, relief, ease of heart
-
Hivi Leyla
Meaning of each name
- Hivi: hope; a positive expectation
- Leyla: a name associated with night and darkness
-
Leyla Zümranur
Meaning of each name
- Leyla: a name associated with night and darkness
- Zümranur: Community and light
-
Mira Leyla
Meaning of each name
- Mira: Wonderful, worthy of admiration
- Leyla: a name associated with night and darkness
Double names found in TÜİK’s newborn lists: Leyla Nur.
How to pronounce Leyla
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /lejla/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | لیلى |
| Arabic | ليلى |
Is Leyla a girl’s name?
Yes, Leyla is used mostly as a girl’s name. See all girl names.
Leyla appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Spellings covered by this page: Leylâ
The same name in other spellings (e.g. Ahmet and Ahmed):
Names that sound like Leyla
Names with related meanings
Famous people named Leyla
- Leyla Zana · b. 1961
- Leyla Erbil · b. 1931
- Leylâ Gencer · b. 1928
- Leyla Lydia Tuğutlu · b. 1989
- Leylâ Güven · b. 1964
- Leyla Tanlar · b. 1997
- Leyla İmret · b. 1987
- Leyla Söylemez · b. 1988
- Leyla Birlik · b. 1974
- Leyla Açba · b. 1898
- Leyla Feray · b. 1993
- Leyla Hanım · b. 1850
FAQ about the name Leyla
What is the meaning of Leyla?
Leyla means “a name associated with night and darkness”. Leyla comes from Arabic Laylā and is associated with layl, meaning night. Interpretations involving dark-haired beauty develop the name's night imagery rather than giving a precise literal translation.
Is Leyla a girl’s name?
Yes, Leyla is used mostly as a girl’s name.
Is Leyla in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Leyla nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Leyla?
Leyla is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does Leyla have?
Leyla has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Leyla?
Leyla appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What are other spellings of Leyla?
Other spellings: Leylâ, Leila.
What names go well with Leyla?
Some ideas: Leyla Müşerref; Viyan Leyla; Leyla Ferah.
Famous people named Leyla?
Notable people named Leyla include Leyla Zana, Leyla Erbil, Leylâ Gencer.
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm00045 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake