Leah Girl
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 | |
| NY | 528 | |
| TX | 485 | |
| NJ | 279 | |
| FL | 277 | |
| PA | 134 | |
| IL | 126 | |
| OH | 113 | |
| NC | 103 | |
| VA | 100 | |
| GA | 86 | |
| AZ | 85 | |
| MD | 71 | |
| IN | 70 | |
| MA | 61 |
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.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 3,969 |
| 2023 | 3,973 |
| 2022 | 4,193 |
| 2021 | 4,474 |
| 2020 | 4,527 |
| 2019 | 4,780 |
| 2018 | 5,036 |
| 2017 | 5,200 |
| 2016 | 5,433 |
| 2015 | 5,633 |
| 2014 | 5,609 |
| 2013 | 5,617 |
| 2012 | 5,779 |
| 2011 | 6,400 |
| 2010 | 6,543 |
| 2009 | 6,790 |
| 2008 | 5,634 |
| 2007 | 4,555 |
| 2006 | 4,657 |
| 2005 | 4,600 |
| 2004 | 4,744 |
| 2003 | 3,925 |
| 2002 | 3,604 |
| 2001 | 3,521 |
| 2000 | 3,399 |
| 1999 | 3,288 |
| 1998 | 3,218 |
| 1997 | 3,203 |
| 1996 | 3,327 |
| 1995 | 3,274 |
| 1994 | 3,205 |
| 1993 | 3,414 |
| 1992 | 3,431 |
| 1991 | 3,816 |
| 1990 | 3,924 |
| 1989 | 3,784 |
| 1988 | 3,558 |
| 1987 | 3,454 |
| 1986 | 3,457 |
| 1985 | 3,572 |
| 1984 | 3,536 |
| 1983 | 3,484 |
| 1982 | 3,762 |
| 1981 | 3,808 |
| 1980 | 3,642 |
| 1979 | 3,075 |
| 1978 | 2,710 |
| 1977 | 2,586 |
| 1976 | 2,270 |
| 1975 | 2,118 |
| 1974 | 1,844 |
| 1973 | 1,587 |
| 1972 | 1,594 |
| 1971 | 1,690 |
| 1970 | 1,672 |
| 1969 | 1,490 |
| 1968 | 1,616 |
| 1967 | 1,598 |
| 1966 | 1,378 |
| 1965 | 1,385 |
| 1964 | 1,422 |
| 1963 | 1,299 |
| 1962 | 976 |
| 1961 | 806 |
| 1960 | 772 |
| 1959 | 738 |
| 1958 | 667 |
| 1957 | 740 |
| 1956 | 668 |
| 1955 | 592 |
| 1954 | 558 |
| 1953 | 580 |
| 1952 | 496 |
| 1951 | 479 |
| 1950 | 442 |
| 1949 | 451 |
| 1948 | 387 |
| 1947 | 388 |
| 1946 | 324 |
| 1945 | 285 |
| 1944 | 306 |
| 1943 | 308 |
| 1942 | 330 |
| 1941 | 351 |
| 1940 | 365 |
| 1939 | 373 |
| 1938 | 376 |
| 1937 | 408 |
| 1936 | 346 |
| 1935 | 362 |
| 1934 | 395 |
| 1933 | 338 |
| 1932 | 296 |
| 1931 | 319 |
| 1930 | 326 |
| 1929 | 309 |
| 1928 | 405 |
| 1927 | 345 |
| 1926 | 436 |
| 1925 | 444 |
| 1924 | 505 |
| 1923 | 487 |
| 1922 | 485 |
| 1921 | 514 |
| 1920 | 523 |
| 1919 | 527 |
| 1918 | 588 |
| 1917 | 534 |
| 1916 | 514 |
| 1915 | 552 |
| 1914 | 457 |
| 1913 | 370 |
| 1912 | 302 |
| 1911 | 202 |
| 1910 | 207 |
| 1909 | 176 |
| 1908 | 194 |
| 1907 | 200 |
| 1906 | 164 |
| 1905 | 168 |
| 1904 | 149 |
| 1903 | 175 |
| 1902 | 171 |
| 1901 | 184 |
| 1900 | 166 |
| 1899 | 149 |
| 1898 | 185 |
| 1897 | 147 |
| 1896 | 169 |
| 1895 | 203 |
| 1894 | 182 |
| 1893 | 167 |
| 1892 | 163 |
| 1891 | 144 |
| 1890 | 162 |
| 1889 | 134 |
| 1888 | 118 |
| 1887 | 83 |
| 1886 | 83 |
| 1885 | 85 |
| 1884 | 79 |
| 1883 | 65 |
| 1882 | 56 |
| 1881 | 52 |
| 1880 | 54 |