Given name & surname
Leah
“languid”
Leah is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “languid.”
Original Hebrewלאה
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “languid.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
The story
In biblical tradition, Leah is the name of the elder sister of Rachel.
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Leah appears in Leviticus 18:18.
From biblical name research
Leah through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 256,954
- 466 boys · 256,488 girls
- Most popular year
- 2009
- 6,799 babies
- 2025
- 3,880
- #58 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −18%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 3,880 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 58 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 17.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 6,790 in 2009. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (550). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 200,964 as a first name in 2020; 307 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Leah’s family of names
Leah shares a linguistic root with Léa. Leah has a related form in Lee. In German usage, Leah has a related form in Lea.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Leah has relatives in 9 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
7 related names in 9 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Liavariant
- Leiavariant
- Leevariant
- Leavariant · German, Norwegian
- Liahvariant
- Leighavariant
- Leeyavariant
- Lleahlikely variant
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Leah
- Leah GoldbergIsraeli poet (1911–2070)
- Leah WilliamsonEnglish footballer (born 1997)
- Leah ReminiAmerican actress (born 1970)
- Leah PipesAmerican actress (born 1988)born 1983
- Leah LewisAmerican actress (born 1996)
- CarmellaAmerican professional wrestler, dancer and modelborn 1987
- Leah DizonAmerican singer and modelborn 1986
- Leah NamugerwaUgandan environmental activistborn 2004
- Leah Isadora Behnsecond child of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Ari Behnborn 2005
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Leah, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Hannah
Hannah is a Hebrew biblical name associated with divine favour and the story of Samuel’s mother.
>99% girls
Elah
“terebinth”
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Eve
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Michaela
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Gabrielle
“heroine of God” · “man of God”
1% boys · 99% girls
Anah
“answer” · “task”
>99% girls
Adalia
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Iza
Iza is a feminine given name from Polish, ultimately from Biblical Hebrew. It is used in Polish, Hungarian, and Slovak.
3% boys · 97% girls