Leela
2 syllables
♀ Female ◎ Hindi / Indian / Kannada / Malayalam / Sanskrit / Tamil / Telugu / Nepali ◈ 2 syllables
"Play"

From Hindi / Indian / Kannada / Malayalam / Sanskrit / Tamil / Telugu / Nepali

Leela means divine play or cosmic dance — from the Sanskrit lila. In Hindu philosophy, lila is God's playful creation of the universe — the idea that existence itself is divine play. Doctor Who's Leela is one of the most fierce companions. Futurama's Leela is animation's most capable captain. Two syllables of cosmic-play philosophy, the Doctor's fiercest companion, and the cyclops who captains the Planet Express.

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Leela at a glance
MeaningPlay
OriginHindi / Indian / Kannada / Malayalam / Sanskrit / Tamil / Telugu / Nepali
GenderFemale
Syllables2
NumerologyLife Path 8
US Rank (today)#1223
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Why parents love Leela
  • In Hindu philosophy, lila is God's playful creation of the universe.
  • Doctor Who's Leela is one of the fiercest companions.
  • Futurama's Leela is animation's most capable captain.
  • Two syllables with a flowing, Sanskrit sound: LEE-lah.
  • The meaning divine play is cosmically beautiful.
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The vibe of Leela
divine playcosmic danceSanskritlilaHinduDoctor WhoFuturamacreationuniverse
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Origin & history of Leela
Sanskrit lila (divine play/cosmic dance) → Leela
1
Hindi / Indian / Kannada / Malayalam / Sanskrit / Tamil / Telugu / Nepali roots
Leela comes from the Sanskrit lila meaning divine play — God's playful creation of the universe. Doctor Who's Leela is fiercely brave. Futurama's Leela captains the Planet Express.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Sanskrit; Doctor Who (1977); Futurama (1999).
3
Today
Leela remains a beloved choice, ranking #1223 in the US. 4,369 babies have been named Leela since 1898.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Leela?
2016 peak year
The name Leela reached its peak in 2016, with 232 registrations (ranked #1106). The name has actually been around since 1898 — over a century — though it took until recently to find its widest audience. Since the peak, the name has eased to well outside the top 1,000 (around #1223) today, averaging about 196 new babies per year. Leela's usage has held roughly steady recently. Across all years on record, approximately 4,369 American babies have carried this name.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
232 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #1,106)
196 Avg. per year
(last decade)
1,960 Total registrations
last 10 years
4,369 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #1,223) Moderate
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
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Numerology of Leela
8
Life path number
The Achiever
Ambition, authority and material mastery.

Leela's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — divine-play seeking. People named Leela tend to be fierce, philosophical, and gifted at being God's playful creation in two syllables.

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God's playful creation
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Doctor-Who fierce
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Futurama-captain
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Sanskrit-cosmic
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Divine-dance
L3
E5
E5
L3
A1
Sum: 17 → Life path 8
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Personality of Leela
💼
Built for success
They don't dream of achievement — they plan for it.
👑
Commanding presence
They walk in and people notice.
🔑
Strategic mind
Always three moves ahead.
💎
Unbreakable
Setbacks sharpen them. Resilience is in their DNA.
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Famous people named Leela

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Names that sound like Leela

If you love Leela, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.

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Names that combine with Leela

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Leela.

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Middle names for Leela

The right middle name turns Leela into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.

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Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Leela is a beautiful choice.
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