Leah Girl

Popularity: #53 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LEE-uh /ˈliːə/

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: weary; English: meadow

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Leah has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the word "le'ah," which is often interpreted to mean "weary" or "delicate." This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Genesis, where Leah is introduced as one of the wives of Jacob and the mother of several of his children, including Judah and Levi. The earliest forms of the name can be traced back to ancient Hebrew, and it was later transliterated into Greek as "Lea" and into Latin as "Leah," before making its way into Old French and subsequently into Middle English during the medieval period.

Historically, Leah's significance is underscored by her biblical narrative, which has been influential in Jewish and Christian traditions. The story of Leah and her sister Rachel, along with their complex relationship with Jacob, has been interpreted in various ways throughout the centuries, often symbolizing themes of love, rivalry, and maternal sacrifice.

The name Leah has been borne by various notable figures in history, including saints and queens, which has contributed to its enduring presence in religious and cultural contexts. Culturally, Leah has resonated as a symbol of strength and resilience, particularly within Jewish tradition, where her story is often recounted during religious teachings and celebrations.

The name has also been associated with the concept of loyalty and devotion, reflecting Leah's steadfastness in her familial roles. Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Lee" have emerged in various cultures, although the name Leah itself has maintained its prominence.

Overall, the historical and cultural significance of Leah has ensured its continued relevance across different eras and societies.

Famous people named Leah

In this section, you will find notable people named Leah. 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 Leah who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Leah 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.

Leah Remini is an actress and author best known for The King of Queens, Leah Remini: It's All Relative, and Scientology and the Aftermath.

Leah Pipes is an actress best known for The Originals, The Devil's Hand, and Sorority Row.

Leah McFall is a singer best known for The Voice UK and her singles such as.

Leah Lewis is an actress best known for The Half of It, Nancy Drew, and the series Station 19.

Fictional characters named Leah

The following list of fictional characters named Leah 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.

Leah is a fictional character from the novel and film series Twilight. She is a member of the Quileute tribe and plays a significant role in the story as a werewolf and a strong-willed character.

Sibling suggestions

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

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Leah. 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.

U.S. Historical Usage

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

Leah has ranked as high as #94 nationally, which occurred in 2009, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Leah has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Leah 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 Leah was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Leah (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
CA 531
14%
NY 528
14%
TX 485
13%
NJ 279
7%
FL 277
7%
PA 134
3%
IL 126
3%
OH 113
3%
NC 103
3%
VA 100
3%
GA 86
2%
AZ 85
2%
MD 71
2%
IN 70
2%
MA 61
2%

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 Leah.

YearBirths
20243,969
20233,973
20224,193
20214,474
20204,527
20194,780
20185,036
20175,200
20165,433
20155,633
20145,609
20135,617
20125,779
20116,400
20106,543
20096,790
20085,634
20074,555
20064,657
20054,600
20044,744
20033,925
20023,604
20013,521
20003,399
19993,288
19983,218
19973,203
19963,327
19953,274
19943,205
19933,414
19923,431
19913,816
19903,924
19893,784
19883,558
19873,454
19863,457
19853,572
19843,536
19833,484
19823,762
19813,808
19803,642
19793,075
19782,710
19772,586
19762,270
19752,118
19741,844
19731,587
19721,594
19711,690
19701,672
19691,490
19681,616
19671,598
19661,378
19651,385
19641,422
19631,299
1962976
1961806
1960772
1959738
1958667
1957740
1956668
1955592
1954558
1953580
1952496
1951479
1950442
1949451
1948387
1947388
1946324
1945285
1944306
1943308
1942330
1941351
1940365
1939373
1938376
1937408
1936346
1935362
1934395
1933338
1932296
1931319
1930326
1929309
1928405
1927345
1926436
1925444
1924505
1923487
1922485
1921514
1920523
1919527
1918588
1917534
1916514
1915552
1914457
1913370
1912302
1911202
1910207
1909176
1908194
1907200
1906164
1905168
1904149
1903175
1902171
1901184
1900166
1899149
1898185
1897147
1896169
1895203
1894182
1893167
1892163
1891144
1890162
1889134
1888118
188783
188683
188585
188479
188365
188256
188152
188054