Lila
Girl name · #187 in 2025 · Well-known
In 2025, 1,670 baby girls were named Lila, placing it at #187 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #199, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,078 girls born in 2025 was named Lila.
The 145-year story
Lila first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 36 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2010, when 1,969 girls were named Lila — good for #155 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 Lila per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lila against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lila in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lila is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Lila is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lila is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Lila is most common in DC (5.4 per 1,000), RI (4.1 per 1,000), MT (3.5 per 1,000), IA (2.5 per 1,000), ID (2.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.3 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Lila is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Lila
Statistically, parents drawn to Lila tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Leila, Laila, Bella, Kamila, and Nyla.
LeilaLailaBellaKamilaNylaLiaLillyLyla
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lila | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,670 | #186 |
| 2024 | 1,482 | #206 |
| 2023 | 1,401 | #213 |
| 2022 | 1,354 | #221 |
| 2021 | 1,341 | #223 |
| 2020 | 1,298 | #228 |
| 2019 | 1,373 | #228 |
| 2018 | 1,405 | #225 |
| 2017 | 1,474 | #210 |
| 2016 | 1,561 | #210 |
| 2015 | 1,658 | #199 |
| 2014 | 1,776 | #184 |
| 2013 | 1,703 | #190 |
| 2012 | 1,728 | #182 |
| 2011 | 1,921 | #163 |
| 2010 | 1,969 | #155 |
| 2009 | 1,935 | #167 |
| 2008 | 1,852 | #180 |
| 2007 | 1,357 | #259 |
| 2006 | 1,006 | #329 |
| 2005 | 680 | #446 |
| 2004 | 599 | #489 |
| 2003 | 492 | #569 |
| 2002 | 414 | #618 |
| 2001 | 394 | #641 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lila a popular girl name?
Lila ranked #187 among girls in 2025 with 1,670 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #199.
When was the name Lila most popular?
Lila peaked in 2010, when 1,969 American girls received the name (ranked #155 that year). Since 2010 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lila?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,078 newborn American girls was named Lila. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
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.