Camila

Camila: a Roman name in Spanish and Portuguese

Camila is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Camilla, a feminine name from ancient Rome. Its history reaches back to the Roman name Camillus, probably of Etruscan origin. The deeper meaning is unknown. Today, Camila combines that ancient background with a clear three-syllable pronunciation and a strong presence in contemporary music and American naming.

Ancient roots and literary history

Camilla is the feminine counterpart of Camillus, a Roman cognomen, or additional family name. Camillus resembles a Latin word for a young person assisting in religious ceremonies, which explains the familiar interpretation “ceremonial attendant.” The personal name is probably separate from that word, however, so the ritual meaning is not securely established.

One of the best-known ancient Camillas appears in Virgil's Aeneid. She is a warrior of the Volsci, giving the name family a connection to Roman epic as well as Roman personal naming. Much later, Fanny Burney used Camilla as the title of her 1796 novel, helping establish that spelling in the English-speaking world.

Camila belongs to the Spanish and Portuguese branch of this wider family. Its single l is part of the established spelling in those languages. It shares its history with Italian Camilla, French Camille, and forms such as Kamila and Kamilla found elsewhere in Europe.

Camila Cabello

Singer Camila Cabello is a prominent modern bearer. After performing with Fifth Harmony, she released her first full-length solo album, Camila, on January 12, 2018. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200, putting her own name on a widely heard record as well as on concert bills and music videos.

Her song Havana became a major part of that early solo career. In 2018 she also collaborated with Pharrell Williams on Sangria Wine, singing in English and Spanish. Made in Miami, a short documentary released that year, explored her childhood, family, and immigration experience. This gives Camila a contemporary musical association alongside its much older literary roots.

Pronunciation and related names

In Spanish, Camila is pronounced kah-MEE-lah, with the stress on the middle syllable. Portuguese also stresses the middle syllable, although its unstressed vowels sound different. The long ee sound distinguishes it from the common English pronunciation of Camilla, kuh-MIL-uh.

Camilo is the corresponding masculine form in Spanish and Portuguese. Camile is a related Brazilian Portuguese spelling. Camille and Camilla offer other established versions of the same historical name.

Popularity in the United States

Camila rose from number 43 for American girls in 2015 to number 11 in 2020, when 8,165 girls received the name. It ranked number 19 in 2025. That places it among the most familiar girls' names in recent American records.

How popular is Camila?

In 2025, Camila ranked #19 among girls in the United States, with 6,591 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for girls in 1914; its largest annual count was 8,165 in 2020. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.