Shakayla is a unique and exotic female given name of African origin. It is derived from the Swahili word "shakay" which means "to laugh". Thus, Shakayla translates to "she who laughs", signifying joy and happiness.
The name Shakayla first gained popularity in the United States during the 1970s, although its exact origin and history are unclear. It is believed that the name was created by combining elements from other African names or words, with "Shaka" meaning "strong-willed" in Swahili, and "ila" being a common suffix used in many African languages.
Despite its uncertain origins, Shakayla has been embraced as a distinctive and beautiful name. It is often associated with strength, uniqueness, and positivity, reflecting the joy and laughter that it signifies. Today, Shakayla continues to be a popular choice among parents seeking a unique and meaningful name for their daughters.
Based on the provided statistics, we can observe an interesting trend for the number of babies named Shakayla born annually in the United States from 1982 to 2020.
The name Shakayla first appeared in 1982 with 7 births that year. The following year saw a slight decrease with only 6 births recorded. However, starting from 1984, we see an upward trend in the popularity of this name. There were 5 births in 1984, but by 1988, the number had increased significantly to 23 births.
The peak popularity of the name Shakayla was reached between 1990 and 1993. In these four years alone, there were over 70 births each year, with a high point of 80 births both in 1992 and 1993. This demonstrates that during this period, the name Shakayla was quite popular among parents naming their daughters.
However, similar to many other names, Shakayla's popularity began to decline after its peak years. From 1994 onwards, we see a steady decrease in the number of babies named Shakayla each year. By 2008, this number had dropped below 70 births per year.
The early 2000s saw a further decrease in popularity for the name Shakayla. Between 2004 and 2011, there were typically between 30 to 80 births each year. However, since 2012, we see a more significant drop-off in popularity. There were only 13 births recorded in that year, with this number remaining relatively low throughout the remainder of the decade.
Despite the overall decline in popularity after its peak years, it is interesting to note that even as recently as 2020, there were still babies named Shakayla born in the United States. This shows that while not as popular as it once was, this name remains a choice for some parents today.
In conclusion, according to these statistics, the name Shakayla experienced significant popularity among parents naming their daughters between approximately 1988 and 1993. However, after its peak years, we see a steady decline in the number of babies named Shakayla born annually until the present day. Nonetheless, this unique and distinct name continues to be used by some parents even today.