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Why parents love Leila- The meaning night is mysterious and romantic.
- Lord Byron gave it English literary pedigree.
- Two syllables with a soft, lilting sound: LAY-lah or LEE-lah.
- The spelling differentiates from the more common Layla.
- It bridges Persian, Arabic, and English literary traditions.
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The vibe of Leila
PersiannocturnalRomanticliterarymysteriousByronsoftexotic
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Origin & history of Leila
Arabic ليلى (laylā, night)
→ Persian Leila
→ English Leila (via Byron)
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Arabic / Persian roots
Leila is the Persian-influenced English spelling of the Arabic Layla, meaning night. While both spellings share the love story of Layla and Majnun, the Leila spelling entered English through a different route — Lord Byron's narrative poem The Giaour (1813), which features a harem girl named Leila. Byron's Oriental Romances made this spelling fashionable among English readers in the 19th century. The pronunciation varies between LAY-lah and LEE-lah depending on family preference. The Leila spelling gives the name a slightly more literary, Persian garden quality compared to Layla's rock-and-roll energy.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Ancient in Arabic/Persian tradition; Byron's The Giaour (1813) introduced this spelling to English.
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Today
Leila remains a beloved choice, ranking #234 in the US. 54,237 babies have been named Leila since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
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How popular is Leila?
2010
peak year
Leila reached its widest reach during the 2010s. In 2010, 1,509 babies received the name (ranked #205). In the present decade it sits around #234, with about 1,336 babies given the name annually. Leila's usage has held roughly steady recently. The all-time total comes to roughly 54,237 registrations.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
1,509
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #205)
(ranked #205)
1,336
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
13,360
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
54,237
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
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Numerology of Leila3
Life path number
The Creator
Creativity, joy and self-expression.
Leila's Life Path 3 is the communicator's number — fitting for a name that has been the subject of poetry across three literary traditions. People named Leila tend to be expressive, romantic, and drawn to storytelling. Their nights are full of words.
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Expressive romantic✦
Born storyteller◈
Nights full of words◎
Literary soul♡
Mysterious eloquenceL3
E5
I9
L3
A1
Sum: 21 → Life path 3
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Personality of Leila✨
Bright & creative
Imaginative, expressive, endlessly inventive.
😊
Magnetic warmth
Their laugh is contagious. People love being near them.
🌈
Eternal optimist
Even in dark moments they find the light.
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Storyteller
They can describe anything and make it fascinating.
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Famous people named LeilaClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
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Leila (Byron)
Character in Lord Byron's The Giaour (1813).
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Leila Slimani
French-Moroccan novelist, Prix Goncourt winner.
L
Leila Khaled
Palestinian activist and hijacker, one of the most controversial figures of the 1970s.
L
Leila (Layla and Majnun)
The beloved in one of the world's greatest love stories.
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If you like Leila, you may also love◎
Names that sound like LeilaIf you love Leila, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.
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Names that combine with LeilaSibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Leila.
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Middle names for LeilaThe right middle name turns Leila into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for Leila? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for Leila →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter 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
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