Leola
Leola was the 6711th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 17 babies. Its best year was 1905, when it ranked 166th; the most babies were born in 1920 (849). Over the last ten years it has moved up 427 places. More babies were named Leola in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin not documented
Say it lee-OH-luh /liˈoʊlə/
- Rank in 2025
- #6,711 girls, down 1,125 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 17girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1920849 babies
- Total since 1880
- 28,181babies recorded
What does the name Leola mean?
Leola was a common American girls' name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but our sources do not document its origin. It may be an elaboration of Leo or Leona (from Latin leo, "lion") with a fashionable -la ending, but no dictionary records this. The name is also found as a place-name in several US states.
How sure is this? Not documented. No documented etymology; the Leo/Leona link is a guess.
Related names: Leona, Leora, Leola.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Leola', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Leona', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
Leola popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 52 since 1917.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,711 | 17 |
| 2020 | #5,586 | 22 |
| 2010 | #9,558 | 12 |
| 2000 | #10,383 | 9 |
| 1990 | #4,608 | 21 |
| 1980 | #2,566 | 37 |
| 1970 | #1,644 | 57 |
| 1960 | #979 | 120 |
| 1950 | #533 | 243 |
| 1940 | #365 | 323 |
| 1930 | #283 | 530 |
| 1920 | #226 | 849 |
| 1910 | #166 | 423 |
| 1900 | #204 | 235 |
| 1890 | #261 | 92 |
| 1880 | #331 | 24 |
How popular is Leola, counting every spelling?
Leola has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Leola?
17 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Leola (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Leola born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 495 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Leola.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Leola?
About 5,500 people born in the US named Leola are alive today, with a median age of 75; half are between 62 and 84. That makes Leola a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Leola: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Leola, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Leola · Sibling names for Leola
Questions about the name Leola
How popular is the name Leola?
Leola was the 6711th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 17 babies. Its best year was 1905, when it ranked 166th; the most babies were born in 1920 (849). Over the last ten years it has moved up 427 places. More babies were named Leola in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Leola a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Leola in the US.