Fun Facts About the Name Ilea
- 247 babies named Ilea: U.S. records list 247 babies given the name Ilea from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ilea Mean?
Ilea is a rare name, and no single origin for it is firmly established. In Romania it is found chiefly as a family name. That surname is generally explained as a form of the Romanian given name Ilie - the Romanian form of Elijah, from Hebrew Eliyahu, commonly translated "my God is Yahweh" - with the suffix -ea, a frequent ending in Romanian surnames.
When it is used as a feminine given name, Ilea is sometimes described as a short form of the Romanian Ileana, the Romanian form of Helena. The Greek name Helene has an uncertain meaning: it has been connected with a word for "torch" and, less securely, with selene, "moon," but it is usually regarded as pre-Greek, so no literal translation can be stated with confidence.
Ilea Name History & Origins
Romanian family names ending in -ea are widespread, and Ilea fits that pattern. Surnames of this shape were typically formed from an everyday given name, which is why Ilea is most convincingly explained as a surname taken from Ilie. The biblical name behind Ilie - Elijah, or Elias in Greek - came into Romanian through Greek and Church Slavonic, and Ilie has long been a common given name in Romanian-speaking areas.
As a girl's name, Ilea is uncommon in Romania and rarer still in English-speaking countries, where it appears as an occasional modern spelling rather than a name with a long separate history. It is close in form to Ileana and Iliana, and English use of Ilea may be an individual respelling of one of those names; because the name is so rare in English, no settled derivation for that use can be given.
How Popular is the Name Ilea?
Ilea has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1980. Its best rank was #3,442 in 1980.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #16,090 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #17,234 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #12,349 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #17,579 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #15,541 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #14,400 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #13,124 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #14,540 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #8,391 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #11,838 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #11,592 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #10,154 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #10,942 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #14,222 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #9,917 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #14,064 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #12,056 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #8,744 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #7,153 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #12,486 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #6,979 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #8,872 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #6,623 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #6,039 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #4,749 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1982 | #4,783 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1981 | #4,813 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1980 | #3,442 | 24 | 0.0014% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ilea Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Ilea's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ilea's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.