Given name & surname
Lia
“referring to a horn”·“languid”
In Dutch use, Lia is a diminutive of Cornelia. In Latin use, Cornelia carries the interpretation “referring to a horn.” Lia is a variant of Leah. One interpretation is “languid.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Dutch use, Lia is a diminutive of Cornelia. In Latin use, Cornelia carries the interpretation “referring to a horn.” Lia is a variant of Leah. One interpretation is “languid.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Lia is a variant of Leah. An origin associated with Leah is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Dutch usage, Lia is a diminutive of Cornelia.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1933. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Lia is a variant of Leah. The history of Leah gives this family its wider story. In biblical tradition, Leah is the name of the elder sister of Rachel.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Lia through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 28,516
- 15 boys · 28,501 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 1,610 babies
- 2025
- 1,526
- #200 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +24%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,526 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 200 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 23.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (252). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 22,644 as a first name in 2020; 644 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.
Lia’s family of names
In Dutch usage, Lia is a diminutive of Cornelia. In Italian usage, Lia shares a linguistic root with the Latvian form LIJA. Lia has a related form in Leah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Lia has relatives in 5 languages.
4 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Leiaequivalent
- Liyaequivalent
- Laiaequivalent
- Lyaequivalent
- Olimpiaequivalent
- Lijacognate · Latvian
- Ολυμπιάδαequivalent
- Olimpiadaequivalent
Show 3 moreShow fewer
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Lia
- Lia ManoliuRomanian athletics competitor (1932-1998)
- Lia McHughAmerican actress (born 2005)
- Lia QuartapelleItalian politicianborn 1982
- Lia van LeerIsraeli film archive pioneer (1924-2015)
- Lia NealAmerican swimmer, Olympic athlete, world championborn 1995
- Lia WältiSwiss association footballerborn 1993
- Lia VissiGreek-Cypriot singerborn 1955
- Lia Boysenactressborn 1966
- Lia Olguța VasilescuRomanian politicianborn 1974
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lia, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Iliâ
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