Leila
How to say it: LEE-luh · /ˈlilə/
From Arabic Layla meaning 'night'; associated with beauty and the legendary romance of Layla and Majnun.
Leila was the 197th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,193 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are steady over ten years, and it is projected to slip to #209 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #197 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,193 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,797 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −4% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #209 |
| In France, 2025 | #103 among girls’ names, 390 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Leila faded almost out of sight by the 1960s before returning to near its 1880s best. A slight retreat is predicted going forward.
What goes with it
Mellow and tender with flowing l sounds, Leila feels delicate across borders. Mira sits alongside beautifully, with Lila as an alternate nickname.
Middle names that flow with Leila →
Nicknames
- Lei
- Lila
Honouring a Leila in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Leila is about 1 in 75.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Arabic, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #103 for girls in 2025.
England and Wales: #269. Ireland: #341.
Famous people named Leila
- Leila Lopes (born 1986)Angolan beauty pageant titleholder
- Leila Hatami (born 1972)Iranian actress
- Leila Ahmed (born 1940)Egyptian-American writer and professor
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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