Given name
Lilah
“night”·“born at night”·“resembling a lily”
In English use, Lilah has a related form in Leila. One Arabic interpretation is “night.” Lilah is a variant of Lila. Interpretations include “born at night” and “resembling a lily”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Lilah has a related form in Leila. One Arabic interpretation is “night.” Lilah is a variant of Lila. Interpretations include “born at night” and “resembling a lily”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Lilah has a related form in Leila. An origin associated with Leila is Arabic. In English use, Lilah is a short form of Delilah. A possible origin is Hebrew, although the derivation remains uncertain. Lilah is a variant of Lila. Lila has been associated with Arabic and Greek naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Lilah is a short form of Delilah.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1884. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Lilah has a related form in 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. In English use, Lilah is a short form of Delilah. The history of Delilah gives this family its wider story. Delilah appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Lilah through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 24,664
- 0 boys · 24,664 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 1,736 babies
- 2025
- 1,736
- #179 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +29%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,736 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 179 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 29.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (164). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 13,981 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.
Lilah’s family of names
In English usage, Lilah is a short form of Delilah. In English usage, Lilah has a related form in Leila. In English usage, Lilah has a related form in Lila.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Lilah
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lilah, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Evangeline
“a bringer of good news”
>99% girls
Jessa
“The Lord sees all”
>99% girls
Lyla
“night” · “born at night”
>99% girls
Jesslyn
“The Lord sees all”
>99% girls
Lylah
“night” · “born at night”
>99% girls
Evvie
“giver of life; a lively woman” · “a birdlike woman”
>99% girls
Lia
“referring to a horn” · “languid”
>99% girls
Eliza
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
>99% girls