Leela
Girl name · #1282 in 2025 · Rare
Leela is currently the #1282 girl name in the United States — 175 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1204, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,286 girls born in 2025 was named Leela.
Babies named Leela per year. Source: SSA.
The 127-year story
Leela first appears in the Social Security records in 1898, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 232 girls were named Leela — good for #1106 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Leela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Leela in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Leela is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Leela will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Leela is most common
Geography matters for names, and Leela is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Leela is most common in CA (0.2 per 1,000), NY (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.1 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Leela is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Leela
Statistically, parents drawn to Leela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Adela, Ela, Ariela, Calla, and Leena.
AdelaElaArielaCallaLeenaAnylaLeylaLivia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Leela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 175 | #1279 |
| 2024 | 185 | #1259 |
| 2023 | 179 | #1277 |
| 2022 | 179 | #1319 |
| 2021 | 179 | #1284 |
| 2020 | 194 | #1194 |
| 2019 | 192 | #1218 |
| 2018 | 196 | #1206 |
| 2017 | 217 | #1141 |
| 2016 | 232 | #1106 |
| 2015 | 207 | #1204 |
| 2014 | 218 | #1143 |
| 2013 | 227 | #1086 |
| 2012 | 209 | #1174 |
| 2011 | 201 | #1196 |
| 2010 | 135 | #1603 |
| 2009 | 141 | #1593 |
| 2008 | 134 | #1664 |
| 2007 | 126 | #1726 |
| 2006 | 123 | #1702 |
| 2005 | 74 | #2379 |
| 2004 | 70 | #2424 |
| 2003 | 69 | #2393 |
| 2002 | 46 | #3103 |
| 2001 | 39 | #3417 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Leela a popular girl name?
Leela ranked #1282 among girls in 2025 with 175 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1204.
When was the name Leela most popular?
Leela peaked in 2016, when 232 American girls received the name (ranked #1106 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Leela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,286 newborn American girls was named Leela. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
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.