Twyla

Mystical and intriguing, this vintage name has an unexpectedly modern feel. Conjuring up imagery of glowing evening light, Twyla could appeal as as alternative to Lila, as a nature-inspired option, or for the grown-up fans of the Stephanie Meyer's vampire series, Twilight.

Twyla — also spelled Twila — has a number of possible origins. On one hand, it could be simply inspired by the word "twilight", connecting it to the time of evening when the sun is below the horizon. Alternatively, it could come from the word "twill", a type of textile weave that creates a sturdy fabric, or, it could be inspired by the French Étoile (said EH-TWAL), meaning "star".

Associated with choreographer Twyla Tharp, a waitress in the television series Schitt's Creek, and a Monster High character Twyla Boogeyman, Twyla was also used by Toni Morrison in her short story, Recitatif, which was reissued in 2022.

Both Twila and Twyla ranked in the US Top 1000 in the first half of the 20th century, but fell out of use in the late 60s. In recent years, they have gained back a little more attention, and in 2023, Twyla was given to around 60 girls, while the once more popular Twila was given to 30.

Pronounced TWY-luh.

As of October 2026, Twyla ranked #2995 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #750 in 1964, Nameberry popularity #701.