Delilah
deh-LY-lah · 4 syllables
♀ Female ◎ Hebrew ◈ 4 syllables
"Delicate, weak, temptress"

From Hebrew

Delilah was the villain of Samson's story — the woman who discovered his secret and cut his hair. But modern parents have reclaimed the name entirely, seduced by its intoxicating sound rather than its biblical baggage. The Plain White T's Hey There Delilah (2006) completed the rehabilitation, turning a temptress into a love song. Four syllables of pure musical beauty have outweighed three thousand years of cautionary tales.

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Delilah at a glance
MeaningDelicate, weak, temptress
OriginHebrew
GenderFemale
Syllables4
NumerologyLife Path 6
US Rank (today)#80
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Why parents love Delilah
  • The sound is irresistible — deh-LY-lah has a melodic, swaying beauty.
  • Hey There Delilah transformed it from cautionary to romantic.
  • Four syllables that feel like a lullaby — musical from start to finish.
  • The meaning delicate or languishing is sensuous rather than dangerous.
  • Lila and Lilah are gorgeous built-in nicknames.
The vibe of Delilah
melodicreclaimedsensuousbiblicalmusicalboldromanticdramatic
Origin & history of Delilah
Hebrew דְּלִילָה (Delilah, delicate/languishing) English Delilah
1
Hebrew roots
Delilah appears in the Book of Judges (chapter 16) as the woman who betrayed Samson by discovering that his strength lay in his uncut hair. The Philistines bribed her to extract his secret, and she cut his hair while he slept. For centuries, the name carried negative associations. Tom Jones' Delilah (1968) began shifting perceptions, and the Plain White T's Hey There Delilah (2006) completed the transformation — a sweet, earnest love song that made the name romantic rather than dangerous. Delilah entered the US top 100 in 2013 and has climbed rapidly.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Biblical — Judges 16, where Delilah discovers the secret of Samson's strength.
3
Today
Delilah remains a beloved choice, ranking #80 in the US. 62,507 babies have been named Delilah since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, Judges 16, SSA data
How popular is Delilah?
2024 peak year
Delilah is on the rise. After years out of the spotlight, it has been gaining ground with U.S. parents in the most recent decade. It currently ranks inside the top hundred (#80), with about 3,388 babies named Delilah each year. In 2024, 4,240 babies were named Delilah (ranked #50 nationally). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 62,507.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
4,240 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #50)
3,388 Avg. per year
(last decade)
33,880 Total registrations
last 10 years
62,507 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #80) Very popular
↑ Trending upward in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
Numerology of Delilah
6
Life path number
The Nurturer
Nurturing, love and responsibility.

Delilah's Life Path 6 is the nurturer's number — an ironic inversion of the biblical character's role. People named Delilah today tend to be warm, magnetic, and deeply caring. The name has been fully reclaimed by love.

Magnetically warm
Deeply caring
Reclaimed by love
Melodic presence
Captivating without trying
D4
E5
L3
I9
L3
A1
H8
Sum: 33 → Life path 6
Personality of Delilah
❤️
Nurturing heart
They notice when someone is struggling before anyone else.
🏡
Creates warmth
Their circle is warmer for their presence.
⚖️
Strong morals
They know what's right and stand by it.
🌸
Quietly selfless
They give and give, often without realising how much.
Names that sound like Delilah

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Names that combine with Delilah

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

Middle names for Delilah

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

Want a personalised middle name for Delilah? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.

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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
Delilah is a beautiful choice.
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