Leah
Girl name · #58 in 2025 · Uniqueness 45/100
Leah is currently the #58 girl name in the United States — 3,880 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #36, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 464 girls born in 2025 was named Leah.
The 145-year story
Leah first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 54 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2009, when 6,790 girls were named Leah — good for #29 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Leah per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Leah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Leah in class?
Leah scores 45 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Leah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Leah is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Leahs were NY (550), TX (465), CA (464), FL (301), NJ (244). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Leah
Statistically, parents drawn to Leah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lydia, Maya, Aaliyah, Hannah, and Claire.
LydiaMayaAaliyahHannahClaireSophieAudreyJade
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Leah | 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 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Leah a popular girl name?
Leah ranked #58 among girls in 2025 with 3,880 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #36.
When was the name Leah most popular?
Leah peaked in 2009, when 6,790 American girls received the name (ranked #29 that year). Since 2009 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Leah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 464 newborn American girls was named Leah. It scores 45/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.