Twyla is an American name of uncertain origin that is usually explained as a form of the word twilight, "dusk", or of the French etoile, "star"; it was most common in the rural Midwest in the early 20th century. The choreographer Twyla Tharp is its best-known bearer. Twyla stood at number 4969 in 2000, reached its best rank of 2855 in 2022 and sits at number 2995 in 2025.