| Layan | Dua | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Softness, gentleness | Prayer, supplication |
| Origin | arabic | arabic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | lay-AAN | doo-AH |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2025 (329) | 2025 (231) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Layan | Dua |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,458 | 889 |
| 2010s | 1,427 | 410 |
| 2000s | 325 | 164 |
| 1990s | 15 | 22 |
Layan (ليان) comes from the Arabic root l-y-n ('to be soft'), carrying the sense of softness, gentleness and an easy, comfortable life. Some sources add a secondary 'ease/prosperity of living' nuance.
Dua (دعاء, du'a') means 'prayer, supplication, invocation', from the Arabic root d-'-w. In Islamic practice du'a refers specifically to personal prayer or calling upon God.
Layan and Dua are given to a similar number of US babies today.
Layan means Softness, gentleness (arabic origin), while Dua means Prayer, supplication (arabic origin).
In US records, Layan first appears in 0 and Dua in 0, so Layan has the longer recorded history.