Delilah Girl

Popularity: #50 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: deh-LIE-lah //dɪˈlaɪlə//

Origin: Hebrew; Arabic

Meaning: Hebrew: delicate; Arabic: night

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Delilah has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the word "delilah," which means "delicate" or "weak." It appears in the biblical narrative of the Book of Judges, where Delilah is a Philistine woman who betrays the Israelite judge Samson by revealing the secret of his strength, which is tied to his uncut hair. This story, dating back to the 11th century BCE, has been a significant cultural touchstone, illustrating themes of betrayal and the complexities of love and power.

The name entered the English language through the Latin translation of the Bible, known as the Vulgate, which rendered her name as "Delila," and subsequently through the King James Version in the early 17th century, where it was spelled as "Delilah." Throughout history, Delilah has been associated with both seduction and treachery, often symbolizing the archetype of the femme fatale. The narrative of Samson and Delilah has inspired countless works of art, literature, and music, reinforcing the name's cultural resonance.

In the Renaissance, the story was revisited by various playwrights and poets, further embedding Delilah in the Western literary canon. The name has also been used in various adaptations and retellings, including operas and films, which have contributed to its enduring presence in cultural discourse.

Additionally, the name Delilah has been linked to themes of beauty and vulnerability, as suggested by its etymological meaning. This duality has allowed the name to maintain a complex identity, embodying both strength and fragility.

Diminutive forms such as Lila have emerged, reflecting a softer interpretation of the name while still retaining its historical roots. Overall, Delilah's journey from ancient texts to modern interpretations highlights its significant cultural and historical importance.

Famous people named Delilah

In this section, you will find notable people named Delilah. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Delilah who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Delilah who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Delilah is a radio personality best known for her nationally syndicated radio show Delilah and her philanthropic work with children and families.

Fictional characters named Delilah

The following list of fictional characters named Delilah is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Delilah is a fictional character from the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. She is known for her role in betraying Samson by revealing the secret of his strength.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Delilah, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DahliaLilaMayaElianaZaraNina

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Delilah. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

LilaLaylaSelahAmaraTaliaMirellaZinniaSarai

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Delilah was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Delilah has ranked as high as #131 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Florida.

In the past 5 years the name Delilah has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Delilah is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Delilah was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Delilah.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 4,137 4,137
2024 4,254 4,254
2023 4,049 4,049
2022 3,874 3,874
2021 3,761 3,761
2020 3,424 3,424
2019 3,158 3,158
2018 3,012 3,012
2017 2,898 2,898
2016 2,743 2,743
2015 2,740 2,740
2014 2,514 2,514
2013 2,347 2,347
2012 2,096 2,096
2011 1,838 1,838
2010 1,672 1,672
2009 1,705 1,705
2008 1,741 1,741
2007 1,136 1,136
2006 539 539
2005 487 487
2004 473 473
2003 438 438
2002 354 354
2001 379 379
2000 358 358
1999 355 355
1998 242 242
1997 225 225
1996 159 159
1995 155 155
1994 133 133
1993 138 138
1992 128 128
1991 151 151
1990 136 136
1989 153 153
1988 192 192
1987 219 219
1986 185 185
1985 236 236
1984 225 225
1983 252 252
1982 159 159
1981 115 115
1980 159 159
1979 196 196
1978 154 154
1977 151 151
1976 136 136
1975 132 132
1974 147 147
1973 156 156
1972 104 104
1971 131 131
1970 170 170
1969 91 91
1968 59 59
1967 53 53
1966 41 41
1965 54 54
1964 66 66
1963 80 80
1962 110 110
1961 109 109
1960 139 139
1959 111 111
1958 131 131
1957 158 158
1956 172 172
1955 148 148
1954 156 156
1953 214 214
1952 228 228
1951 184 184
1950 131 131
1949 96 96
1948 90 90
1947 55 55
1946 52 52
1945 45 45
1944 62 62
1943 78 78
1942 142 142
1941 80 80
1940 40 40
1939 41 41
1938 48 48
1937 55 55
1936 57 57
1935 63 63
1934 53 53
1933 54 54
1932 52 52
1931 53 53
1930 63 63
1929 53 53
1928 59 59
1927 46 46
1926 77 77
1925 50 50
1924 71 71
1923 64 64
1922 61 61
1921 61 61
1920 63 63
1919 64 64
1918 72 72
1917 62 62
1916 65 65
1915 52 52
1914 50 50
1913 49 49
1912 33 33
1911 24 24
1910 30 30
1909 29 29
1908 21 21
1907 12 12
1906 14 14
1905 22 22
1904 20 20
1903 18 18
1902 22 22
1901 16 16
1900 21 21
1899 24 24
1898 28 28
1897 16 16
1896 18 18
1895 15 15
1894 21 21
1893 19 19
1892 20 20
1891 28 28
1890 20 20
1889 20 20
1888 19 19
1887 14 14
1886 15 15
1885 12 12
1884 17 17
1883 11 11
1882 10 10
1881 10 10
1880 10 10

Top States for Delilah (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 637
15%
TX 506
12%
FL 212
5%
OH 171
4%
NY 158
4%
IL 152
4%
NC 143
3%
GA 132
3%
MI 125
3%
IN 124
3%
AZ 120
3%
PA 110
3%
MO 103
2%
TN 88
2%
CO 81
2%
VA 81
2%
WA 80
2%
KY 79
2%
WI 76
2%
MN 70
2%
AL 69
2%
LA 64
2%
SC 63
1%
MA 63
1%
NV 60
1%
UT 56
1%
NJ 54
1%
IA 52
1%
OK 52
1%
OR 49
1%
AR 47
1%
MD 44
1%
KS 43
1%
WV 35
1%
CT 30
1%
MS 30
1%
NM 29
1%
ID 28
1%
NE 22
1%
ME 15
0%
NH 13
0%
MT 12
0%
RI 11
0%
SD 11
0%
AK 8
0%
HI 8
0%
DE 7
0%
WY 7
0%
VT 5
0%
ND 5
0%