Mayella

A sunny sounding name, Mayella is a smoosh name with various meanings, depending on which etymological root you follow for May. The name is perhaps most associated with Mayella Ewell in Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, a character whose loneliness and desperation spark the main plot of the book. This may well put parents off using the name and it is only ever given to a handful of girls every year.

An alternative origin for Mayella is via Majella, the surname of the 18th century Italian saint, Gerard Majella (or Gerardo Mailella), who became the patron saint of pregnancy and childbirth. Used occasionally in Ireland, it derives from the name of a mountain in Italy.

Pronounced may-EL-uh.

As of October 2026, Mayella ranked #12725 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #8929 in 2019.