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.”
Common questions about Layla
- What does the name Layla mean?
- Layla (لَيْلَى) means "Night, dark beauty". 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.
- Is Layla a name from the Qur'an?
- Layla shares its root letters with the Qur'an: the verse in Surah 92, Ayah 1 carries the same root. The verse and its translation, sourced from Tanzil, are on this page.
- Is Layla a boy or a girl name?
- Layla is traditionally a girl's name.
- Where does the name Layla come from?
- Layla is an Arabic-Persian name, built on the root letters L-Y-L. Widely used across Arab, Persian, Turkish, and South Asian families. Reads naturally in English.
Browse names like Layla
Collections Layla belongs to.
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