Leia

Leia - A very unique female name

Leia appeared on the charts for the first time in 1963 on position #2216. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Leia and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Leia? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Leia. The baby girl name Leia was given to 1,006 baby girls in 2025, ranking #298 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,296 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Leia peaked in popularity 3 years ago in 2023 on position 210.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Leia, 1-5?

Leia is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Leia is currently topping the baby name charts in Hawaii at position #50 - and is the least popular in Tennessee at position #791.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Leia is where you live.

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Leia origin and meaning

Variant of Leah, from Hebrew — root disputed

Uncertain — Leia is a spelling of Leah, whose Hebrew root is disputed between 'weary' and other derivations

Leia is a variant spelling in the Leah family, a biblical name whose exact Hebrew derivation scholars still dispute. This spelling existed in the data from 1963, but its modern identity was set by Princess Leia in Star Wars in 1977. It peaked in 2023 and has slipped slightly since.

Origin uncertain

Leia is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Leia, pop culture references for the name Leia and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Leia

We've found the following names that sound similar to Leia, sorted by popularity.

Leah / Lily / Layla / Lillie / Lola / Lila / Lilly / Lee / Lula / Lyla /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Leia

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Leia a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Leia?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

LAY-uh · /ˈleɪə/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Leya — Y respelling
• Lea — Shorter spelling in the same family

Famous bearers

• Leia Organa — Princess and general in the Star Wars films (Fictional, 1977) Fictional

Style

International

Why parents choose it

For Star Wars families Leia is a direct tribute; for others it is simply a soft, two-syllable name with a Leah-like sound.

Worth knowing

• The Star Wars association is total — most people will assume it is intentional whether it is or not.