Baby Names Leah Name Meaning By Vicky Yip Vicky Yip Vicky is a freelance writer specializing on topics relating to prenatal care, motherhood, parenting, family, and home life. She is also a Senior Contributor for HoustonMoms (City Mom Collective). Learn about our editorial process Published on October 22, 2021 Fact checked by Aaron Johnson Fact checked by Aaron Johnson Aaron Johnson is a fact checker and expert on qualitative research design and methodology. Learn about our editorial process Print Ana Francisconi / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Does Leah Mean? How Popular is the Name Leah? Name Variations Similar Names Suggested Sibling Names Famous People Named Leah What Does Leah Mean? Leah is a biblical name of Hebrew origin that means delicate or weary. In the Bible, Leah is the daughter of Laban and the sister of Rachel. She was married to the biblical patriarch Jacob, but he favored her sister instead. Leah loved Jacob though, and since she was unable to conceive, she prayed about her situation. God had compassion on her and allowed her to become pregnant. Origin: The name Leah comes from the Hebrew word la’ah, which means weary. It is found in the Old Testament of the Bible, notably in the book of Genesis. Gender: Leah is most commonly used as a girl name. Pronunciation: L-EE-uh or L-AY-uh Although baby names are separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It's important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best. How Popular is the Name Leah? Leah first appears in the Social Security Administration top 1,000 list of names for baby girls as No. 252 in 1900. It has remained on the list for the last 120 years without ever dropping off. The lowest the name has been ranked was as No. 431 in 1946. After that, the name Leah has steadily gotten more popular, rising about 100 spots every decade. The name peaked in 2010 as No. 24. Although an enduring and classic name, its upward trajectory is likely over. Since Leah's peak, it has dropped somewhat in popularity and continues to do so with each passing year. The latest data from 2020 shows it ranked as No. 45. The fictional Princess Leia from the “Star Wars” movie franchise, which first came out in the late 1970s, no doubt brought attention to it as a given name. 100 Beautiful Greek Baby Names to Inspire Your Search Name Variations As it is a biblical name, Leah has an equivalent in many languages. The following are variations of the name Leah: Lea (Croatian, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian, German, Norwegian, Slovene, Swedish, Polish)Léa (French)Leia (Greek)Lėja (Lithuanian)Lia (Italian, Portuguese, Romanian)Liia (Estonian)Lija (Latvian) Similar Names Similar sounding names to Leah: LaylaLeanneLilaLilyLinaLolaLydiaMia Other biblical names: AbigailDinahHannahMaryNaomiPriscillaRachelRebeccaSarah Other names that start with L: LaceyLauraLaurenLeilaniLeslieLeticia LexiLilianaLillianLoganLondonLorelaiLouisaLucilleLuna Suggested Sibling Names Looking for a sibling name for Leah? Here are some popular options: AlexanderAlyssaAmandaAndrewCalebDanielEvelynGloriaLiamNathanSamuelSofiaZoe Famous People Named Leah Leah has been an enduring name over the last century in the United States, with roots that reach back to biblical times. There is even a statue named Leah created by Michelangelo, considered one of the most brilliant artists of the Italian Renaissance. Michelangelo produced the Leah statue along with the statue of Rachel in 1542-1545 to adorn the tomb of Julius II. The Leah statue is built entirely from marble and likely to have symbolized the power of work in leading a worthy life. Famous Leahs: LEAH, a Canadian heavy metal musicianLeah Chase, an American chef, author, and television personalityLeah McSweeney, an American fashion designer and television personalityLeah Remini, an American actressLea Salonga, a Tony Award-winning Filipina singer and actressLea Thompson, an American actress Fictional Leahs: Queen Leah, the mother of Princess Aurora in Disney’s 1950 animated film “Sleeping Beauty”Leia Organa (Princess Leia), considered one of the galaxy’s great heroes in the "Star Wars" saga who devoted her life to the restoration of democracyLeah Brahms, scientist of the 24th century United Federation of Planets considered a leader in warp field therapy in the TV series “Star Trek: The Next Generation”Leah Shaw, main character and survivor of an apocalyptic outbreak in popular TV series “The Walking Dead”Leah Burke, best friend of the main protagonist in the novels “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” and the movie “Love, Simon” More Baby Names Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: Top 1,000 Baby Girl Names in the U.S. 100 Biblical Baby Names 50 English Baby Names Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 3 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Hanks P, Hardcastle K, Hodges F. A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press; 2016. Social Security Administration. Popularity of Name. Updated 2021. Wallace WE. Michelangelo, God’s Architect : The Story of His Final Years and Greatest Masterpiece. Princeton University Press; 2019.