Leah
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Leah is a Hebrew name meaning “weary”. It is a popular name, overwhelmingly used for girls, with 99.98% female usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Leah
Leah is a name of Hebrew origin that appears prominently in the Book of Genesis as the first wife of Jacob. Linguistic analysis typically traces its roots to the word le'ah, which is translated as 'weary' or 'wild cow'. In the biblical narrative, Leah is described as the elder daughter of Laban and the sister of Rachel. Its endurance is almost exclusively linked to its status as a foundational figure within the Old Testament.
Meaning Comments
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Gender Usage of the Name Leah
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Leah is overwhelmingly used as a name for girls. Approximately 99.98% of recorded bearers are female. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Leah
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Leah is listed under Popular Girl Names worldwide. Its popularity is relatively consistent across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Popular | 1 in every 638 births |
| United Kingdom | Popular | 1 in every 2.1K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 866 births |
| Australia | Popular | 1 in every 1.6K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Leah ranked #103 on the Popular Girls’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It fell from #94 in 2024 — a drop of 9 places. Leah maintains a steady presence among commonly used names.
Historically, its best recorded position was #48, achieved in 2011 and 2012. Its lowest recorded position was #506 in 1949. Over the last 5 years (2020–2025) the name fell -11 places (from #92 to #103).
Name StyleMethodology
Leah is classified as Timeless Girl Names because it appears across 100% of recorded years, averages 2,588 births per year over its full timeline, and still averages 4,691 births per year recently.Characteristics of the Name Leah
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Girl Names
- Length
- 4 letters — Short Girl Names
- Starts with
- L — Girl Names Starting with L
- Ends with
- h — Girl Names Ending in “h”
Name AestheticMethodology
Leah is a two-syllable name that begins and ends with vowel sounds, creating an open, airy feeling. It is a central figure in the Book of Genesis within the Hebrew Bible. This enduring historical presence gives the name an Elegant & Timeless aesthetic.
Middle Names For Leah
Middle names used with LeahMethodology
Leah is most frequently used with these girl middle names: Leah Marie · Leah Nicole · Leah Michelle · Leah Ann · Leah ElizabethView all 1,082 girl middle names.
- Total 1,524 middle names used with Leah
- 91 boy middle names used with Leah
- 294 unisex middle names used with Leah
Middle name suggestions for LeahMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Leah is most frequently associated with girl middle names that have Strong stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “m”.
Examples: Leah Moore · Leah Mills · Leah Marsh · Leah Marks · Leah Moose. View all 101 suggested middle names.
Associations of the Name Leah
Biblical ReferencesMethodology
As one of the Biblical Girl Names, Leah appears 33 times throughout the Bible. Selected verses include:
- Old Testament - Genesis (GEN 29:16):
Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
- Old Testament - Ruth (RUT 4:11):
And all the people who were in the public place, and the responsible men, said, We are witnesses. May the Lord make this woman, who is about to come into your house, like Rachel and Leah, which two were the builders of the house of Israel: and may you have wealth in Ephrathah, and be great in Beth-lehem;
Names Similar to Leah
Sound Like Leah Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Lea · Lia · Leia · View all 39 names
Spelled Like Leah Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Leiah · Leeah · Leagh · View all 8 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Linda · Lisa · Laura · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Leah Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Patricia · Linda · Barbara · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Mary · Linda · Sarah · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Leah”
Dictionary Meaning of "Leah"Methodology
The elder daughter of Laban, sister to Rachel, and first wife of Jacob
Examples
- And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well-favoured.
A female given name from Hebrew
Examples
- "I'm Leah Brennan. How can I help you...Gideon?" He gave a short laugh. "Leah! Nice name. Between the two of us, we sound like the Old Testament, don't we?"
A surname
Translations
The name Leah has 37 translations, for example: in Spanish it is rendered as elder daughter of Laban, in French it is rendered as given name, etc..
More Info
How to Spell Leah in ASL
- L
- e
- a
- h
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