Lila

ElegantRomanticDelicateLyricalWhimsical

Lila has origins in both Arabic and Sanskrit, meaning 'night' or 'dark beauty' in Arabic and 'play' or 'amusement' in Sanskrit. The name also has connections to Hebrew and Persian traditions, giving it a rich multicultural heritage.

Current Popularity

#187 for girls

in the United States (2025)

Projected 2026: #178, likely #156 to #200

↗Steady

Popularity over time

188019502020
Recent years · births per year

Dashed bar: 2026 (projected): 1,775. How this is calculated

Yearly values
  • 2011: 1,921
  • 2012: 1,728
  • 2013: 1,703
  • 2014: 1,776
  • 2015: 1,658
  • 2016: 1,561
  • 2017: 1,474
  • 2018: 1,405
  • 2019: 1,373
  • 2020: 1,298
  • 2021: 1,341
  • 2022: 1,354
  • 2023: 1,401
  • 2024: 1,482
  • 2025: 1,670
  • 2026 (projected): 1,775

Good to Know

Common nicknames: Li, Lily, Lil, Lee
  • •Simple to spell and pronounce in most languages
  • •Has multiple spelling variations (Lyla, Lilah, Leila) to consider
  • •Short and sweet, works well on its own without needing a nickname
  • •Sounds similar to 'Leela' in some accents

Famous People

L

Lila Downs

Mexican-American singer and actress

L

Lila Kedrova

Oscar-winning French actress

L

Lila Diane Sawyer

American television journalist

L

Lila Lee

Silent film actress

Statistics

76,493

Total births since 1880

2010

Peak year

Discovery

Keep browsing

Search another name

Search