Lila
Lila was the 187th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,670 babies. Its best year was 2010, when it ranked 155th with 1,969 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 12 places. More babies were named Lila in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Arabic, Sanskrit, Spanish
Say it LY-luh /ˈlaɪlə/
- Rank in 2025
- #187 girls, up 41 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,670girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20101,969 babies
- Total since 1880
- 76,550babies recorded
What does the name Lila mean?
Lila has several sources, Wiktionary explains. It can be a variant of Leila, from Arabic Layla, from a word for 'night', or of Lilah, a short form of Delilah; it is also linked with Spanish lila, 'lilac'. Separately, Lila in India comes from Sanskrit lila, 'play, charm'. The pronunciation differs by source: LY-luh, LEE-luh or LAY-luh, and families often choose a spelling (Lila, Lilah, Lyla) to match the sound they want.
لَيْلَى (Arabic, “Layla (from 'night')”)लीला (Sanskrit, “līlā, play, charm”)lila (Spanish, “lilac”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Several independent sources (Arabic, Sanskrit, Spanish); no single meaning.
Related names: Lilah, Leila, Lyla, Delilah, Lilac.
See also: Arabic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Lila', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wiktionary, entry 'Leila', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Lila (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Lila popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 57 since 1920.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #187 | 1,670 |
| 2020 | #228 | 1,298 |
| 2010 | #155 | 1,969 |
| 2000 | #751 | 307 |
| 1990 | #1,304 | 125 |
| 1980 | #988 | 150 |
| 1970 | #1,014 | 123 |
| 1960 | #580 | 291 |
| 1950 | #432 | 351 |
| 1940 | #270 | 529 |
| 1930 | #170 | 1,203 |
| 1920 | #227 | 840 |
| 1910 | #209 | 311 |
| 1900 | #191 | 268 |
| 1890 | #222 | 120 |
| 1880 | #257 | 36 |
How popular is Lila, counting every spelling?
Lila is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #208 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #187 for Lila on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,675 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lila | 1,670 | #187 | 7,248 |
| Leala | 5 | #16,277 | 44 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Lila?
1,670 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Lila (0.46 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Lila 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 5 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Lila.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Lila?
About 46,400 people born in the US named Lila are alive today, with a median age of 16; half are between 9 and 31. That makes Lila mostly worn by children and young adults.
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.
Lila by state
How common Lila was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in District of Columbia (4.3×), Maine (3.3×), Rhode Island (3.3×), Montana (2.9×), Connecticut (2.4×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Delaware, Texas, California.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Lila: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Lila, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Lila · Sibling names for Lila
Lila is also a nickname for Delilah.
Questions about the name Lila
What does Lila mean?
The origin of Lila is uncertain: several independent sources (Arabic, Sanskrit, Spanish); no single meaning.
How popular is the name Lila?
Lila was the 187th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,670 babies. Its best year was 2010, when it ranked 155th with 1,969 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 12 places. More babies were named Lila in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Lila a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Lila in the US.
Where is Lila most popular?
In 2021–2025, Lila was most common in District of Columbia (3.80 per 1,000 girls), followed by Maine and Rhode Island.