Girl nameCurrently #207 in the USSteady
Lila
LY-luh//ˈlaɪlə//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20104 lettersStarts with L
Meaning & origin
Night (Arabic); play, divine drama (Sanskrit)
Lila draws on more than one tradition: in Arabic it relates to Layla, meaning night, while in Sanskrit 'lila' refers to divine play, a term used in Hindu philosophy for the creative unfolding of the universe. Its short, soft sound has made it a popular pick across cultures.
Lila's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Lila |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 36 |
| 1881 | 42 |
| 1882 | 65 |
| 1883 | 69 |
| 1884 | 73 |
| 1885 | 62 |
| 1886 | 69 |
| 1887 | 74 |
| 1888 | 88 |
| 1889 | 113 |
| 1890 | 120 |
| 1891 | 128 |
| 1892 | 147 |
| 1893 | 167 |
| 1894 | 161 |
| 1895 | 175 |
| 1896 | 201 |
| 1897 | 176 |
| 1898 | 208 |
| 1899 | 190 |
| 1900 | 268 |
| 1901 | 181 |
| 1902 | 239 |
| 1903 | 206 |
| 1904 | 259 |
| 1905 | 211 |
| 1906 | 242 |
| 1907 | 218 |
| 1908 | 254 |
| 1909 | 259 |
| 1910 | 311 |
| 1911 | 302 |
| 1912 | 396 |
| 1913 | 430 |
| 1914 | 561 |
| 1915 | 684 |
| 1916 | 708 |
| 1917 | 678 |
| 1918 | 748 |
| 1919 | 749 |
| 1920 | 846 |
| 1921 | 894 |
| 1922 | 924 |
| 1923 | 1,064 |
| 1924 | 1,058 |
| 1925 | 1,248 |
| 1926 | 1,085 |
| 1927 | 1,059 |
| 1928 | 1,039 |
| 1929 | 1,108 |
| 1930 | 1,208 |
| 1931 | 1,000 |
| 1932 | 954 |
| 1933 | 859 |
| 1934 | 852 |
| 1935 | 760 |
| 1936 | 646 |
| 1937 | 578 |
| 1938 | 531 |
| 1939 | 488 |
| 1940 | 529 |
| 1941 | 522 |
| 1942 | 482 |
| 1943 | 487 |
| 1944 | 414 |
| 1945 | 368 |
| 1946 | 386 |
| 1947 | 411 |
| 1948 | 421 |
| 1949 | 388 |
| 1950 | 351 |
| 1951 | 363 |
| 1952 | 414 |
| 1953 | 340 |
| 1954 | 359 |
| 1955 | 355 |
| 1956 | 428 |
| 1957 | 362 |
| 1958 | 293 |
| 1959 | 304 |
| 1960 | 291 |
| 1961 | 263 |
| 1962 | 195 |
| 1963 | 234 |
| 1964 | 227 |
| 1965 | 167 |
| 1966 | 146 |
| 1967 | 126 |
| 1968 | 115 |
| 1969 | 141 |
| 1970 | 123 |
| 1971 | 112 |
| 1972 | 132 |
| 1973 | 135 |
| 1974 | 148 |
| 1975 | 103 |
| 1976 | 112 |
| 1977 | 118 |
| 1978 | 114 |
| 1979 | 137 |
| 1980 | 150 |
| 1981 | 149 |
| 1982 | 148 |
| 1983 | 123 |
| 1984 | 98 |
| 1985 | 132 |
| 1986 | 114 |
| 1987 | 112 |
| 1988 | 103 |
| 1989 | 126 |
| 1990 | 125 |
| 1991 | 134 |
| 1992 | 109 |
| 1993 | 106 |
| 1994 | 139 |
| 1995 | 124 |
| 1996 | 131 |
| 1997 | 155 |
| 1998 | 224 |
| 1999 | 312 |
| 2000 | 307 |
| 2001 | 394 |
| 2002 | 414 |
| 2003 | 491 |
| 2004 | 599 |
| 2005 | 680 |
| 2006 | 1,006 |
| 2007 | 1,357 |
| 2008 | 1,852 |
| 2009 | 1,935 |
| 2010 | 1,969 |
| 2011 | 1,921 |
| 2012 | 1,728 |
| 2013 | 1,703 |
| 2014 | 1,776 |
| 2015 | 1,658 |
| 2016 | 1,561 |
| 2017 | 1,473 |
| 2018 | 1,405 |
| 2019 | 1,372 |
| 2020 | 1,298 |
| 2021 | 1,339 |
| 2022 | 1,354 |
| 2023 | 1,398 |
| 2024 | 1,475 |
Lila through the decades
- Lila peaked in 2010, when 1,969 babies were named Lila in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Lila has fallen 10% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Lila currently ranks #207 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Lila
Variants & spellings
LeilaLyla