A Name Story by Houdhoud
لَيْلَى
Layla
LAY-lah
“Night, dark beauty.”
About Layla
Layla is a Muslim baby girl's name meaning "night, dark beauty" — an Arabic-Persian name carried for centuries across the Muslim world.
From the Arabic root ل-ي-ل meaning 'night'. Evokes the calm beauty of evening. Famous in Arabic literature through the love story of Layla and Majnun, and as the title of Surah Al-Layl.
Widely used across Arab, Persian, Turkish, and South Asian families. Reads naturally in English.
Origin & roots
Origin
Arabic · Persian
Gender
Girl
Also spelled
Laila, Leila, Leyla
Root letters
In Arabic, root letters are the seed that gives a word its meaning. Every word built from them inherits that family of meaning — and Layla is one such word.
In the Qur’an
Surah 92 : Ayah 1
وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ
“By the night when it covers,”
Saheeh International translation · sourced from Tanzil
The root letters of Layla live inside this verse — a quiet thread connecting the name to the words of revelation.
Across history
Who has carried Layla before.
- Layla al-Akhyaliyyah (7th c.), Arab poet
How to say it
Stressed syllable in capitals
Discover names like Layla
Other names with the same heart — close in origin, sound, and spirit.
LAY-la · Persian · Arabic
“Night.”
soo-RAY-yah · Arabic · Persian
“The Pleiades star cluster.”
sha-ghaa-YEGH · Persian · Arabic
“Anemone (red poppy).”
yas-MEEN · Persian · Arabic
“Jasmine flower.”
ZAH-rah · Arabic · Persian
“Flower; radiant.”
MAH-noor · Urdu · Persian · Arabic
“Moonlight.”
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