Baby Name of the Day: Twila

The baby name Twila sounds like so many current favorites, but could be the perfect, under-the-radar name for a daughter now. 

Thanks to Tracy for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day

WHAT DOES THE NAME TWILA MEAN?

There’s more than one possible origin for the baby name Twila:

• The obvious explanation: Twila comes from twilight, just drop the -ight and add an A.
• Some suggest it’s based on the French word for star – étoile. If that sounds like a stretch, consider the long history of French-speaking Americans, also called Cajuns, in the United States. Drop the first syllable – ay – emphasize the “twal” in the middle, and add an ending A sound and … it’s almost there. 
• Especially when spelled Twyla, some connect it to a word meaning two, double-stitched, or strong. It might come from twile – a Middle English word that became our word twill – woven with double thread.

FAMOUS FIGURES

Possibly the most famous bearer of the name is dance legend Twyla Tharp. 

A ground-breaking innovator in the world of dance, Tharp studied art history and dance, under Martha Grahamand other leading artists. She joined the Paul TaylorDance Company in 1963, and broke out to establish her own company just two years later. The rest is history. Tharp has racked up every kind of award imaginable and written several bestsellers about the creative process.

The story of her unusual first name is oft-repeated. Tharp was born in Indiana in 1941. Her expectant parents visited the Muncie Fair, where Miss TwilaThornburg had been crowned Pig Princess. Creative names ran in the Tharp family. Her mother’s name was Lecile, and her younger sister was Twanette. Some reports indicate that Lecile changed the spelling from Twila to Twyla because Twyla would look better on a marquee, but both spellings were in use in the 1940s.

More places you might’ve heard the name Twyla or Twila in the 20th century:

• All-American Girls Professional Baseball Leaguer Twila Shively, once called the “HedyLamarr of softball.”
• Songwriter, and long-time collaborator with Lou Christie, Twyla Herbert. Among their many hits? “Egyptian Shumba” by the Tammys and the oft-covered “Lightning Strikes.”
• Ohio politician Twyla Roman.
• If you follow the Adult Contemporary Christian charts, you’ll recognize Twila Paris, who fared especially well int he 1980s and 90s.
• Twila Tanner was a runner-up on the granddaddy of reality shows, Survivor, back in 2004.

21st CENTURY TWILA

That takes us right in to the 21st century and smash hit sitcom Schitt’s Creek. The tale of a wealthy family who loses everything except a home in a tiny town with an eyebrow-raising name, the show debuted in 2015.

Father-son team Eugene and Dan Levy played father-son characters Johnny and David Rose. Another Levy family member, Eugene’s daughter Sarah, also had a supporting role. She played the town’s cafe waitress, Twyla. 

Given the runaway popularity of the television series, at least some parents must’ve noticed the name.

After all, Twyla rhymes with Top 100 favorites like Isla, Lyla, and Delilah. 

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME TWILA?

Let’s look at both spellings:

• Twila ranked in the US Top 1000 name from 1880 through 1970. It peaked in 1934 at #464.
• Twyla charted from 1925 through 1965. The name peaked at #750 in 1964.

While Twyla and Twila might fit with current trends, neither spelling of the time is particularly common now. In fact, they’re equally rare. In the year 2024, 38 girls were named Twila-with-an-I, plus another 38 called Twyla-with-a-Y.

Even combining the two spellings makes this a rare name, indeed.

NIGHT SKY NAME WITH STYLE

The baby name Twila blends bohemian style with a sort of vintage glam. It’s like Luna, with the volume turned way up. Stella, but even bolder.

The Tw- sound is so completely unexpected that nearly nothing else sounds similar. If you’re looking for a brief, but surprising choice for a daughter, Twila might be the perfect name for your family. 

What do you think of the baby name Twila?

First published on May 1, 2012, this post was revised on October 31, 2013 and again on April 15, 2026.