Leila
Girl name · #259 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Leila? In official American birth records, Leila has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Leila is currently the #259 girl name in the United States — 1,193 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #247, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,509 girls born in 2025 was named Leila.
Babies named Leila per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Leila first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 80 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2010, when 1,509 girls were named Leila — good for #205 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 Leila against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Leila in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Leila is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Leila is most common
Geography matters for names, and Leila is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Leila is most common in HI (6.5 per 1,000), CT (1.7 per 1,000), UT (1.3 per 1,000), CA (1.3 per 1,000), FL (1.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.9 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Leila is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Leila
Statistically, parents drawn to Leila tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lila, Laila, Kamila, Lilly, and Bella.
LilaLailaKamilaLillyBellaMaliaLeylaAlaina
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Leila | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,193 | #259 |
| 2024 | 1,197 | #267 |
| 2023 | 1,272 | #239 |
| 2022 | 1,246 | #245 |
| 2021 | 1,385 | #214 |
| 2020 | 1,409 | #205 |
| 2019 | 1,388 | #224 |
| 2018 | 1,358 | #239 |
| 2017 | 1,410 | #220 |
| 2016 | 1,395 | #229 |
| 2015 | 1,309 | #247 |
| 2014 | 1,331 | #243 |
| 2013 | 1,472 | #215 |
| 2012 | 1,365 | #234 |
| 2011 | 1,377 | #231 |
| 2010 | 1,509 | #205 |
| 2009 | 1,390 | #239 |
| 2008 | 1,499 | #226 |
| 2007 | 1,394 | #251 |
| 2006 | 1,161 | #285 |
| 2005 | 1,043 | #308 |
| 2004 | 893 | #355 |
| 2003 | 893 | #345 |
| 2002 | 638 | #450 |
| 2001 | 566 | #492 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Leila?
In official American birth records, the name Leila first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 80 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Leila a popular girl name?
Leila ranked #259 among girls in 2025 with 1,193 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #247.
When was the name Leila most popular?
Leila peaked in 2010, when 1,509 American girls received the name (ranked #205 that year). Since 2010 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Leila?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,509 newborn American girls was named Leila. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.