Layonna
Of French origin meaning "the doe".
Name Census estimates that about 268 living Americans carry the first name Layonna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Layonna today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Layonna births was 2015 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Layonna. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
268
~ 1 in 1,278,934 Americans
Peak year
2015
18 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,259
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Layonna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Layonna from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 137 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Layonna remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Layonna by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Layonna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Layonnas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Layonna
The given name Layonna is believed to have its origins in the Swahili language, which is primarily spoken in various regions of East Africa. The name is thought to be derived from the Swahili word "aina," which translates to "kind" or "type."
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when many African cultures were beginning to establish written records, the name Layonna began appearing in various historical documents and records. However, it is important to note that many African names have deep roots in oral traditions, making their precise origins difficult to trace.
While there are no definitive records of the name Layonna appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that the name has been in use for centuries within certain African communities before being documented in written form.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Layonna can be found in the personal diaries of Emily Lawson, a British missionary who lived in Kenya in the early 1900s. In her writings, Lawson mentions a young Kenyan girl named Layonna whom she encountered during her missionary work.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Layonna. One such individual was Layonna Moseley (1925-2003), an American jazz singer and actress who performed with notable bands during the swing era of the 1940s and 1950s.
Another prominent figure was Layonna Hicks (1942-2018), an American civil rights activist and community organizer who played a crucial role in the Memphis Sanitation Workers' Strike of 1968, which brought attention to the rights of African American workers.
In the field of literature, Layonna Glover (1948-2012) was a celebrated African American poet and writer whose works explored themes of identity, race, and resilience. Her poetry collections, such as "Rhythms of the Heart," received critical acclaim.
Layonna Moseley (1971-), an American singer and songwriter, gained recognition for her unique blend of soul, R&B, and gospel music. Her album "Testimony" received widespread acclaim and earned her a devoted following.
Lastly, Layonna Hickman (1980-) is a notable figure in the world of sports. She is a former professional basketball player who played in the WNBA for several teams, including the Los Angeles Sparks and the Seattle Storm, and was known for her tenacious defense and leadership on the court.
People
Layonna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Layonna as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Layonna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Layonna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 268 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Layonna going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,278,934 US residents.
Is Layonna a common name?
We classify Layonna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 270 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Layonna most popular?
The single biggest year for Layonna was 2015, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Layonna is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Layonna in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Layonna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Layonna in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Layonna still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Layonna in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Layonna can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Layonna?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.