Leah is a girl name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Leah means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Leah across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Leah has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Leah is a girl name of Hebrew origin meaning “of uncertain meaning, possibly weary”. a wife of Jacob in the Bible.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 256,954 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 33,112 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 4,748 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 2,466 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 8,426 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 2,134 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Leah per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2009 (6,799/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2004 (2,160/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2006 (444/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2005 (276/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2005 (163/yr).
Leah has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 2009, when it ranked #99 nationally (given to 8,895 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 2000s.
Leo · Lee · Leigh · Lia · Leia · Lea · Leigha · Lew
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