Mila is a Slavic short form of names such as Milena, Ludmila and Milica, built on the word mil, and means "gracious" or "dear". Actress Mila Kunis, born Milena in Ukraine, made the short form familiar to Americans. The name barely existed in the United States in 2000, at number 2098; it entered the top 1000 in 2006 and the top 100 in 2013, peaked at number 14 in 2018 and ranks number 43 among girls in 2025.