Maeleah Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MAY-lah //ˈmeɪlə//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: 'gift of God'; English: variant of Leah
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Maeleah is a modern variant of the name Leah, which has its roots in Hebrew. The original Hebrew name לֵאָה (Le'ah) translates to 'weary' or 'tired.' This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, where Leah is one of the wives of Jacob and the mother of six of the twelve tribes of Israel, making her a significant biblical figure.
The name Leah was later adopted into Greek as Λεία (Leia) and subsequently into Latin, maintaining its form and meaning. The transition into Old French and then into Middle English saw the name evolve, but it retained its core essence throughout these linguistic shifts.
Historically, Leah's story is recounted in the Book of Genesis, which dates back to the early centuries of the first millennium BCE. Her narrative has been influential in Jewish and Christian traditions, often symbolizing themes of struggle, loyalty, and maternal sacrifice.
The name Leah has been used in various forms across cultures, and its biblical significance has contributed to its endurance over centuries. The introduction of Maeleah as a variant likely emerged in the late 20th century, reflecting a trend towards unique and modern adaptations of traditional names.
Culturally, Leah is often associated with resilience and strength, qualities that have resonated with many throughout history. The diminutive form 'Leah' has been widely used, but Maeleah introduces a fresh interpretation while still connecting to the rich heritage of its predecessor.
The name's evolution from ancient Hebrew to contemporary usage illustrates the dynamic nature of language and naming practices, as well as the enduring impact of biblical narratives on personal identity.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Maeleah, 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 Maeleah. 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 Maeleah was first seen in the United States in 2003.
Maeleah has ranked as high as #1375 nationally, which occurred in 2012, and has been most popular in .
In the past 5 years the name Maeleah has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Maeleah 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 Maeleah was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Maeleah
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.
No state data available for this year.
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 Maeleah.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2003 | 5 |