Given name
Leilah
“night”·“a beauty of the night; born at nightfall”
In English use, Leilah is a variant of Leila. One Arabic interpretation is “night.” Leilah is a variant of Laila. One Arabic interpretation is “a beauty of the night; born at nightfall.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Leilah is a variant of Leila. One Arabic interpretation is “night.” Leilah is a variant of Laila. One Arabic interpretation is “a beauty of the night; born at nightfall.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Leilah is a variant of Leila. An origin associated with Leila is Arabic.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1898. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Leilah is a variant of Leila. The history of Leila gives this family its wider story. Byron used Leila in The Giaour and Don Juan, and Edward Bulwer-Lytton used it for the heroine of his novel Leila. These works helped make the Arabic name familiar to English-speaking readers.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Leilah through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,241
- 0 boys · 4,241 girls
- Most popular year
- 2010
- 251 babies
- 2025
- 125
- #1,660 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −17%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 125 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,660 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 17.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 251 in 2010. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (24). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,797 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Leilah’s family of names
In English usage, Leilah has a related form in Leila. Leilah has a related form in Laila. In English usage, Leilah has a conventional equivalent in the Russian form Лейла.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Leilah
- Leilah BabiryeUgandan-born American visual artist, wood sculptor (born 1985)
- Leilah SutherlandBritish actressborn 1985
- Leilah WeinraubAmerican filmmaker, conceptual artist and former CEOborn 1979
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Leilah, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lila
“born at night” · “resembling a lily”
>99% girls
Lylah
“night” · “born at night”
>99% girls
Pippa
“a friend of horses”
>99% girls
Janessa
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Zofia
“having great wisdom and foresight” · “wisdom”
>99% girls
Melia
Melia is a feminine given name. It is used in English, Asturian, and Hawaiian.
>99% girls
Sofie
“wisdom” · “having great wisdom and foresight”
>99% girls
Jayna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls