Leah

Girl · LEE-a · Hebrew

Leah is a girls' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “possibly weary”. In 2025 it ranked 177th for girls in the UK (320 babies) and 58th for girls in the US (3,880 babies).

What does Leah mean?

Hebrew: biblical Hebrew name

“possibly weary”

In the Bible Leah was Jacob's first wife, the elder sister of Rachel, and mother of six of his sons.

Say it: LEE-a

Is Leah a girl's or a boy's name?

Leah is a girls' name. In 2025, it was given to 320 girls in the UK and 3,880 girls in the US. Too few boys were given it to be listed.

How popular is Leah in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #177among girls
Babies in 2025: 320about 1 in 870 girls
Five-year trend: Fallingdown 32% in five years
Same name in a class: 1.6%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 320 girls in the UK were named Leah, making it the 177th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 129th. Its busiest year was 2004, with 2,544 girls.

Half of all the girls named Leah in the UK since 1996 were born between 2001 and 2011. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.

In 2025, 506 girls in the UK were given Leah or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #123, up from #177 for this spelling alone.

Leah 320
Lia 101
Lea 67
Leea 12
Liah 6

Among girls in 2025, it was 183rd in England and Wales, 135th in Scotland and 140th in Northern Ireland.

In the England and Wales top 100 for girls, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1984 (#99), 1994 (#57), 2004 (#24) and 2014 (#78).

1996Busiest: 2,544 in 20042025

Leah in the UK, year by year

Year	Girls	Rank
2025	320	#177
2024	313	#180
2023	364	#152
2022	386	#151
2021	406	#143
2020	428	#129
2019	520	#108
2018	510	#118
2017	674	#87
2016	723	#85
2015	770	#85
2014	919	#71
2013	1,008	#69
2012	1,234	#55
2011	1,459	#50
2010	1,634	#43
2009	1,738	#41
2008	1,967	#35
2007	1,672	#35
2006	1,969	#30
2005	2,484	#24
2004	2,544	#24
2003	2,215	#26
2002	2,396	#25
2001	2,040	#28
2000	2,216	#26
1999	1,900	#32
1998	1,627	#40
1997	1,752	#39
1996	1,794	#36

How popular is Leah in the US?

Rank in 2025: #58among girls
Babies in 2025: 3,880about 1 in 410 girls
Five-year trend: Steadydown 17% in five years
Same name in a class: 3.3%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 3,880 girls in the US were named Leah, making it the 58th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 45th. Its busiest year was 2009, with 6,790 girls.

2025 had fewer girls named Leah than any year since 2002.

Half of all the girls named Leah in the US since 1880 were born between 1981 and 2012, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 2025, 6,018 girls in the US were given Leah or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #36, up from #58 for this spelling alone.

Leah 3,880
Lia 1,526
Lea 321
Liah 169
Lya 60
Leigha 37
Lyah 13
Leeah 12

1880Busiest: 6,790 in 20092025

Leah in the US, year by year

Year	Girls	Rank
2025	3,880	#58
2024	3,988	#53
2023	3,976	#53
2022	4,196	#52
2021	4,474	#46
2020	4,530	#45
2019	4,780	#43
2018	5,038	#41
2017	5,202	#40
2016	5,434	#37
2015	5,636	#36
2014	5,610	#35
2013	5,618	#32
2012	5,781	#33
2011	6,400	#29
2010	6,545	#24
2009	6,790	#29
2008	5,634	#40
2007	4,555	#67
2006	4,657	#68
2005	4,601	#68
2004	4,744	#64
2003	3,925	#81
2002	3,604	#87
2001	3,521	#87
2000	3,399	#97
1999	3,288	#103
1998	3,218	#106
1997	3,203	#104
1996	3,326	#98
1995	3,274	#103
1994	3,205	#101
1993	3,414	#92
1992	3,431	#96
1991	3,816	#91
1990	3,924	#82
1989	3,784	#83
1988	3,558	#82
1987	3,454	#82
1986	3,457	#78
1985	3,572	#78
1984	3,535	#83
1983	3,484	#82
1982	3,762	#79
1981	3,808	#81
1980	3,642	#84
1979	3,075	#98
1978	2,710	#108
1977	2,586	#112
1976	2,270	#119
1975	2,117	#132
1974	1,844	#149
1973	1,587	#175
1972	1,594	#179
1971	1,690	#184
1970	1,672	#192
1969	1,489	#210
1968	1,616	#195
1967	1,598	#199
1966	1,378	#220
1965	1,385	#228
1964	1,422	#230
1963	1,299	#244
1962	977	#295
1961	806	#332
1960	773	#342
1959	738	#352
1958	667	#357
1957	740	#335
1956	668	#339
1955	592	#356
1954	558	#367
1953	580	#346
1952	496	#373
1951	479	#369
1950	442	#384
1949	451	#369
1948	387	#403
1947	388	#410
1946	324	#431
1945	285	#421
1944	306	#414
1943	308	#418
1942	330	#393
1941	351	#352
1940	365	#334
1939	373	#322
1938	376	#324
1937	408	#307
1936	346	#335
1935	362	#334
1934	395	#315
1933	338	#336
1932	296	#376
1931	319	#360
1930	326	#376
1929	309	#381
1928	405	#332
1927	345	#370
1926	436	#319
1925	444	#316
1924	505	#296
1923	487	#294
1922	485	#293
1921	514	#292
1920	523	#286
1919	527	#277
1918	588	#259
1917	534	#269
1916	514	#266
1915	552	#252
1914	457	#246
1913	370	#248
1912	302	#257
1911	202	#270
1910	207	#268
1909	176	#271
1908	194	#249
1907	200	#234
1906	164	#255
1905	168	#247
1904	149	#259
1903	175	#226
1902	171	#231
1901	184	#210
1900	166	#252
1899	149	#223
1898	185	#211
1897	147	#226
1896	169	#211
1895	203	#191
1894	182	#194
1893	167	#198
1892	163	#196
1891	144	#190
1890	162	#184
1889	134	#197
1888	118	#207
1887	83	#228
1886	83	#219
1885	85	#212
1884	79	#212
1883	65	#223
1882	56	#230
1881	52	#208
1880	54	#208

Names like Leah

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Molly Hannah Abigail Chloe Ellie Jessica Jasmine Sarah Amber Zoe Emily Lydia

Other spellings of Leah

Lia Lea Leea Liah Lya Leigha Lyah Leeah

Names related to Leah

Leia Leya Leyah Leiah Leaha Leeyah Leiyah

More Hebrew names

Noah Isabella Elijah James Jack Mia Ava Jude Ezra Benjamin Isaac Jacob Ethan Daniel Samuel Elias