- Leila Name Origin: Arabic
- Pronunciation: ly-lah, lay-la
- See what 7 people think about Leila
Leila Name Meaning
The name Leila has a few different meanings depending on the culture and language. In Arabic, Leila means “night” or “dark-haired beauty”. In Persian, it means “dark-haired”, and in Hebrew, it means “belonging to God”. But no matter the culture or language, one thing is for sure – Leila is a strong, feminine name with a touch of mystery and elegance.
History of the Name Leila
Leila has been around for centuries, with roots in Arabic, Persian, and Hebrew cultures. In Arabic, the name Leila means “night” or “dark-haired beauty”, while in Persian it means “dark-haired”. In Hebrew, the name Leila means “belonging to God”. It is also a popular name in Islamic culture, where it is often associated with the Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, Fatimah.
Origins of the Name Leila
The name Leila has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in Arabic, Persian, and Hebrew cultures. The Arabic language is the origin of the name, which means ‘night’ in Arabic, or ‘dark-haired beauty.’ The name is also used in Persian, where it means ‘dark-haired.’ The Hebrew version of the name, Leila, means ‘belonging to God.’
Popularity of the Name Leila
Leila has been a popular name for centuries, but its popularity has fluctuated over time. In the early 20th century, Leila was a top 100 name in the United States, but it fell out of favor in the mid-20th century. In recent years, however, the name has seen a resurgence in popularity, with more and more parents choosing Leila for their little girls.
Final Thoughts on the Name Leila
In conclusion, Leila is a name with a rich history and a variety of meanings. It’s a name that has stood the test of time and remains a favorite among parents looking for a strong, feminine name for their little girl. So, if you’re looking for a name that is elegant, mysterious, and timeless, Leila may be the perfect choice for your little lady.

Leila Name Popularity
How popular is the name Leila? Here’s everything we know.
Year | Rank | # Births | % Births |
---|---|---|---|
1910 | 322 | 101 | 0.0287% |
1911 | 351 | 85 | 0.0228% |
1912 | 328 | 151 | 0.0299% |
1913 | 320 | 180 | 0.0317% |
1914 | 335 | 211 | 0.0303% |
1915 | 313 | 321 | 0.0353% |
1916 | 322 | 312 | 0.0323% |
1917 | 334 | 306 | 0.0306% |
1918 | 340 | 326 | 0.0304% |
1919 | 322 | 353 | 0.0337% |
1920 | 319 | 382 | 0.0344% |
1921 | 365 | 293 | 0.0256% |
1922 | 354 | 306 | 0.0275% |
1923 | 371 | 284 | 0.0254% |
1924 | 358 | 321 | 0.0276% |
1925 | 369 | 304 | 0.0269% |
1926 | 388 | 263 | 0.0239% |
1927 | 391 | 262 | 0.0237% |
1928 | 400 | 237 | 0.0222% |
1929 | 407 | 224 | 0.0216% |
1930 | 386 | 261 | 0.025% |
1931 | 382 | 244 | 0.0247% |
1932 | 377 | 252 | 0.0255% |
1933 | 380 | 241 | 0.0259% |
1934 | 423 | 195 | 0.0202% |
1935 | 430 | 184 | 0.0189% |
1936 | 517 | 117 | 0.0121% |
1937 | 427 | 187 | 0.019% |
1938 | 514 | 127 | 0.0124% |
1939 | 506 | 130 | 0.0128% |
1940 | 537 | 123 | 0.0116% |
1941 | 474 | 168 | 0.0149% |
1942 | 554 | 130 | 0.0103% |
1943 | 525 | 153 | 0.0117% |
1944 | 545 | 127 | 0.0102% |
1945 | 554 | 125 | 0.0102% |
1946 | 632 | 113 | 0.0077% |
1947 | 678 | 107 | 0.0064% |
1948 | 694 | 103 | 0.0065% |
1949 | 653 | 116 | 0.0072% |
1950 | 695 | 106 | 0.0066% |
1951 | 743 | 95 | 0.0056% |
1952 | 741 | 98 | 0.0056% |
1953 | 717 | 115 | 0.0065% |
1954 | 692 | 135 | 0.0074% |
1955 | 751 | 112 | 0.0061% |
1956 | 734 | 126 | 0.0067% |
1957 | 817 | 107 | 0.0056% |
1958 | 792 | 111 | 0.0059% |
1959 | 775 | 127 | 0.0067% |
1960 | 764 | 130 | 0.0069% |
1961 | 784 | 128 | 0.0068% |
1962 | 765 | 138 | 0.0075% |
1963 | 829 | 107 | 0.006% |
1964 | 839 | 105 | 0.006% |
1965 | 855 | 89 | 0.0054% |
1966 | 792 | 109 | 0.007% |
1967 | 845 | 92 | 0.0061% |
1968 | 1,005 | 58 | 0.0039% |
1969 | 916 | 84 | 0.0055% |
1970 | 999 | 74 | 0.0046% |
1971 | 901 | 96 | 0.0064% |
1972 | 957 | 75 | 0.0055% |
1973 | 906 | 88 | 0.0068% |
1974 | 843 | 108 | 0.0083% |
1975 | 958 | 81 | 0.0063% |
1976 | 866 | 106 | 0.0082% |
1977 | 832 | 124 | 0.0092% |
1978 | 781 | 143 | 0.0106% |
1979 | 824 | 136 | 0.0096% |
1980 | 922 | 109 | 0.0075% |
1981 | 771 | 159 | 0.0108% |
1982 | 774 | 160 | 0.0107% |
1983 | 763 | 154 | 0.0104% |
1984 | 803 | 145 | 0.0097% |
1985 | 771 | 162 | 0.0107% |
1986 | 845 | 145 | 0.0096% |
1987 | 871 | 144 | 0.0094% |
1988 | 803 | 179 | 0.0115% |
1989 | 916 | 147 | 0.0091% |
1990 | 1,029 | 128 | 0.0077% |
1991 | 984 | 145 | 0.0089% |
1992 | 988 | 141 | 0.0088% |
1993 | 997 | 138 | 0.0089% |
1994 | 951 | 150 | 0.0098% |
1995 | 882 | 169 | 0.0112% |
1996 | 1,037 | 128 | 0.0085% |
1997 | 1,007 | 139 | 0.0094% |
1998 | 752 | 242 | 0.0162% |
1999 | 741 | 253 | 0.0169% |
2000 | 598 | 388 | 0.0254% |
2001 | 492 | 524 | 0.0348% |
2002 | 452 | 595 | 0.0397% |
2003 | 349 | 847 | 0.0557% |
2004 | 360 | 844 | 0.0554% |
2005 | 309 | 1,003 | 0.0656% |
2006 | 285 | 1,127 | 0.072% |
2007 | 250 | 1,371 | 0.0869% |
2008 | 225 | 1,480 | 0.0958% |
2009 | 240 | 1,367 | 0.0915% |
2010 | 202 | 1,495 | 0.1037% |
2011 | 228 | 1,348 | 0.0946% |
2012 | 229 | 1,340 | 0.094% |
2013 | 211 | 1,448 | 0.1017% |
2014 | 235 | 1,315 | 0.0903% |
2015 | 242 | 1,268 | 0.0871% |
2016 | 225 | 1,368 | 0.0949% |
2017 | 218 | 1,373 | 0.0984% |
2018 | 225 | 1,335 | 0.0972% |
2019 | 217 | 1,361 | 0.1005% |
2020 | 206 | 1,352 | 0.1062% |
2021 | 214 | 1,261 | 0.1032% |
2022 | 250 | 1,201 | 0.091% |
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Data via SSA.gov.
Names Like Leila
If you like Leila, you’ll love these other names like Leila.
What names are variants of Leila?
Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Leila.
Name | Meaning | Origin | Popularity | Other Gender |
---|---|---|---|---|
Laila |
Night |
Arabic |
|
|
Layla |
Night |
Arabic |
|
|
Leela |
Night beauty |
Arabic |
|
|
Leelah |
Night beauty |
Arabic |
|
|
Leilah |
Night beauty |
Arabic |
|
|
Lela |
Black beauty |
African |
|
|
Lelah |
Night beauty |
Arabic |
|
|
Lelia |
“The tempestuous one,” from the Greek lailao, a tempest, hurricane, etc. |
Latin |
|
|
Leyla |
Night beauty |
Arabic |
|
|
Lila |
Night |
Arabic |
|
|
Lilah |
Night |
Arabic |
|
|
Lyla |
Night |
English |
|
What names sound like Leila?
If you like how Leila sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Leila.
Name | Meaning | Origin | Popularity | Other Gender |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leala |
Loyal, faithful |
French |
|
|
Leola |
Loyal, faithful; lion |
Latin |
|
What names are similar to Leila?
Find a name that’s like Leila, but just a little bit different.
Name | Meaning | Origin | Popularity | Other Gender |
---|
Loelia |
Arabic |
---|
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7 Comments
Leila W C
I love my name so much. When I was a little girl I hated it, because no one had the name Leila when I was growing up in my area. People always tells me now that I have a lovely name and personality that goes well with my beauty as a lovely lady. Thanks mom!!!!
Kacey
Means darkness and dark beauty with Arabic and Persian origins like my husband, and she was born at night during the darkest time of year.
Araceli
Love the way it sounds
Cristina Gonzalez
Leila means night beauty or daughter of the night and she was born at night. Also choose this spelling because Lei in Hawaiian has very beautiful meaning
Lori
I knew that I wanted an L name, and have always liked the name Layla, just not the spelling. The meaning behind it, although it varies, is very beautiful too: dark haired beauty, nocturnal, born at night etc. All of these things rang true for my little girl. We settled on spelling it with an LEI as a nod to our local roots, being born and raised in Hawaii.
Samantha
I chose the name Leila because it is just as she is a little night beauty avani is her middle and it means earth in Hindi so in short her name means night beauty of earth …she’s been such an easy and sweet baby so peaceful ..
Jessica
Leila it’s like the name Layla but we spelled differently to be different. At first I spelled it Laila but her dad’s middle name is Lee so I decided to spell it Leila. It’s a beautiful name. And she is amazing