Leah
LEE-uh /ˈliː.ə/
Meaning of Leah
Leah comes from the Hebrew לֵאָה (Le'ah). The traditional etymology links it to la'ah — 'to be weary' — supported by the narrative in Genesis 29 where Leah's unloved position suggests weariness. An alternative links it to an Akkadian word for a wild cow, a symbol of strength. Leah is Jacob's first wife and mother of six of the twelve tribes.
Current popularity of Leah
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #48 |
| Germany (GfdS) | 2024 | #16 |
Notable bearers of Leah
Leah (Hebrew Bible); Leah Remini (actor); Princess Leia in Star Wars uses the phonetic spelling.
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Leah — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31