Fun Facts About the Name Lila
- More than 76 thousand babies named Lila: U.S. records list 76,534 babies given the name Lila from 1880 through 2025. Even 57 boys received the name Lila - about 1 boy for every 1,342 girls.
What Does the Name Lila Mean?
Lila is a feminine given name that means "night" in Arabic and "play" or "divine play" in Sanskrit. These are two independent origins. In Arabic, it is a variant transliteration of Layla (ليلى), which comes from layl (ليل), the word for "night." The name is therefore usually explained as "night" or "born at night." In Sanskrit, Lila (लीला, līlā) literally means "play," "sport," or "pastime." In Hindu religious contexts it is often rendered as "divine play," referring to the joyful activity of a deity. The Arabic and Sanskrit names are unrelated despite sharing the same English spelling. A related Hebrew word, לַיְלָה (laylah), also means "night" and is cognate with the Arabic layl; the name Lilah is used in Jewish communities, and Lila can be a variant spelling.
Lila Name History & Origins
The Arabic name Layla (ليلى) means "night" and is an old feminine name. It appears in classical Arabic poetry, and the tragic romance of Layla and Majnun became well known in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish literature. From Arabic, the name spread into other languages in spellings such as Leila, Laila, and Lila. In English, Lila and Lilah are used as anglicized forms of this name. The Hebrew word לַיְלָה (laylah) "night" is a cognate, and the name Lilah is also found in Jewish usage.
The Sanskrit līlā (लीला) means "play" or "sport." In Hindu thought, especially in Vaishnavism, it refers to the spontaneous, joyful activity of a deity, most famously the childhood and youthful play of Krishna. The term appears in Sanskrit devotional texts such as the Bhagavata Purana. As a given name, Lila is used in India and in Hindu communities. It is not related to the Arabic or Hebrew names, though the forms coincide in English.
In the English-speaking world, Lila is used both as a variant of Lilah/Leila and as a spelling of the Sanskrit name. It appears in modern literature, for example as the title character of Marilynne Robinson's novel Lila, but that literary use is much later than the name's older Arabic and Sanskrit roots.
How Popular is the Name Lila?
Lila recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2010. Its best rank was #155 in 2010.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #187 | 1,670 | 0.1039% |
| 2024 | #207 | 1,475 | 0.0914% |
| 2023 | #213 | 1,398 | 0.0872% |
| 2022 | #221 | 1,354 | 0.0826% |
| 2021 | #223 | 1,339 | 0.0817% |
| 2020 | #228 | 1,298 | 0.0803% |
| 2019 | #228 | 1,372 | 0.0818% |
| 2018 | #225 | 1,405 | 0.0826% |
| 2017 | #210 | 1,473 | 0.0853% |
| 2016 | #210 | 1,561 | 0.0881% |
| 2015 | #199 | 1,658 | 0.0929% |
| 2014 | #184 | 1,776 | 0.0994% |
| 2013 | #190 | 1,703 | 0.0971% |
| 2012 | #182 | 1,728 | 0.0981% |
| 2011 | #163 | 1,921 | 0.1092% |
| 2010 | #155 | 1,969 | 0.1108% |
| 2009 | #168 | 1,935 | 0.1053% |
| 2008 | #180 | 1,852 | 0.0980% |
| 2007 | #259 | 1,357 | 0.0706% |
| 2006 | #329 | 1,006 | 0.0529% |
| 2005 | #448 | 680 | 0.0368% |
| 2004 | #491 | 599 | 0.0326% |
| 2003 | #569 | 491 | 0.0269% |
| 2002 | #618 | 414 | 0.0230% |
| 2001 | #641 | 394 | 0.0219% |
| 2000 | #751 | 307 | 0.0169% |
| 1999 | #724 | 312 | 0.0176% |
| 1998 | #930 | 224 | 0.0127% |
| 1997 | #1,183 | 155 | 0.0089% |
| 1996 | #1,313 | 131 | 0.0075% |
| 1995 | #1,333 | 124 | 0.0071% |
| 1994 | #1,244 | 139 | 0.0078% |
| 1993 | #1,500 | 106 | 0.0059% |
| 1992 | #1,457 | 109 | 0.0059% |
| 1991 | #1,258 | 134 | 0.0071% |
| 1990 | #1,304 | 125 | 0.0066% |
| 1989 | #1,254 | 126 | 0.0068% |
| 1988 | #1,379 | 103 | 0.0058% |
| 1987 | #1,262 | 112 | 0.0064% |
| 1986 | #1,217 | 114 | 0.0066% |
| 1985 | #1,101 | 132 | 0.0077% |
| 1984 | #1,281 | 98 | 0.0058% |
| 1983 | #1,107 | 123 | 0.0074% |
| 1982 | #1,002 | 148 | 0.0087% |
| 1981 | #985 | 149 | 0.0089% |
| 1980 | #988 | 150 | 0.0090% |
| 1979 | #1,026 | 137 | 0.0085% |
| 1978 | #1,135 | 114 | 0.0074% |
| 1977 | #1,099 | 118 | 0.0077% |
| 1976 | #1,089 | 112 | 0.0076% |
| 1975 | #1,134 | 103 | 0.0071% |
| 1974 | #879 | 148 | 0.0101% |
| 1973 | #912 | 135 | 0.0093% |
| 1972 | #933 | 132 | 0.0087% |
| 1971 | #1,081 | 112 | 0.0067% |
| 1970 | #1,014 | 123 | 0.0070% |
| 1969 | #888 | 141 | 0.0084% |
| 1968 | #970 | 115 | 0.0070% |
| 1967 | #912 | 126 | 0.0076% |
| 1966 | #825 | 146 | 0.0086% |
| 1965 | #767 | 167 | 0.0095% |
| 1964 | #678 | 227 | 0.0120% |
| 1963 | #661 | 234 | 0.0121% |
| 1962 | #738 | 195 | 0.0099% |
| 1961 | #629 | 263 | 0.0130% |
| 1960 | #580 | 291 | 0.0144% |
| 1959 | #560 | 304 | 0.0150% |
| 1958 | #579 | 293 | 0.0146% |
| 1957 | #497 | 362 | 0.0177% |
| 1956 | #443 | 428 | 0.0213% |
| 1955 | #483 | 355 | 0.0182% |
| 1954 | #467 | 359 | 0.0185% |
| 1953 | #458 | 340 | 0.0181% |
| 1952 | #419 | 414 | 0.0223% |
| 1951 | #439 | 363 | 0.0202% |
| 1950 | #432 | 351 | 0.0205% |
| 1949 | #405 | 388 | 0.0227% |
| 1948 | #388 | 421 | 0.0248% |
| 1947 | #397 | 411 | 0.0232% |
| 1946 | #387 | 386 | 0.0246% |
| 1945 | #362 | 368 | 0.0282% |
| 1944 | #338 | 414 | 0.0312% |
| 1943 | #316 | 487 | 0.0349% |
| 1942 | #316 | 482 | 0.0357% |
| 1941 | #282 | 522 | 0.0432% |
| 1940 | #270 | 529 | 0.0463% |
| 1939 | #284 | 482 | 0.0440% |
| 1938 | #275 | 531 | 0.0481% |
| 1937 | #257 | 578 | 0.0543% |
| 1936 | #244 | 646 | 0.0621% |
| 1935 | #226 | 753 | 0.0718% |
| 1934 | #210 | 844 | 0.0808% |
| 1933 | #204 | 859 | 0.0852% |
| 1932 | #193 | 949 | 0.0889% |
| 1931 | #184 | 995 | 0.0935% |
| 1930 | #170 | 1,203 | 0.1068% |
| 1929 | #180 | 1,108 | 0.0992% |
| 1928 | #195 | 1,034 | 0.0897% |
| 1927 | #193 | 1,059 | 0.0888% |
| 1926 | #190 | 1,085 | 0.0915% |
| 1925 | #175 | 1,248 | 0.1025% |
| 1924 | #199 | 1,053 | 0.0843% |
| 1923 | #196 | 1,064 | 0.0882% |
| 1922 | #212 | 919 | 0.0765% |
| 1921 | #213 | 894 | 0.0725% |
| 1920 | #227 | 840 | 0.0701% |
| 1919 | #227 | 749 | 0.0663% |
| 1918 | #231 | 748 | 0.0646% |
| 1917 | #240 | 678 | 0.0627% |
| 1916 | #230 | 708 | 0.0678% |
| 1915 | #230 | 684 | 0.0695% |
| 1914 | #226 | 561 | 0.0737% |
| 1913 | #231 | 430 | 0.0689% |
| 1912 | #226 | 396 | 0.0710% |
| 1911 | #227 | 302 | 0.0722% |
| 1910 | #209 | 311 | 0.0784% |
| 1909 | #219 | 259 | 0.0746% |
| 1908 | #213 | 254 | 0.0760% |
| 1907 | #224 | 218 | 0.0684% |
| 1906 | #196 | 242 | 0.0820% |
| 1905 | #212 | 211 | 0.0724% |
| 1904 | #186 | 259 | 0.0941% |
| 1903 | #203 | 206 | 0.0786% |
| 1902 | #189 | 239 | 0.0905% |
| 1901 | #214 | 181 | 0.0756% |
| 1900 | #191 | 268 | 0.0894% |
| 1899 | #202 | 190 | 0.0815% |
| 1898 | #204 | 208 | 0.0804% |
| 1897 | #207 | 176 | 0.0751% |
| 1896 | #195 | 201 | 0.0845% |
| 1895 | #204 | 175 | 0.0749% |
| 1894 | #211 | 161 | 0.0722% |
| 1893 | #200 | 167 | 0.0784% |
| 1892 | #211 | 147 | 0.0692% |
| 1891 | #208 | 128 | 0.0690% |
| 1890 | #222 | 120 | 0.0630% |
| 1889 | #217 | 113 | 0.0634% |
| 1888 | #248 | 88 | 0.0493% |
| 1887 | #244 | 74 | 0.0507% |
| 1886 | #249 | 69 | 0.0477% |
| 1885 | #254 | 62 | 0.0466% |
| 1884 | #224 | 73 | 0.0566% |
| 1883 | #213 | 69 | 0.0614% |
| 1882 | #206 | 65 | 0.0603% |
| 1881 | #245 | 42 | 0.0457% |
| 1880 | #257 | 36 | 0.0396% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | #3,324 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1935 | #3,135 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1934 | #2,858 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #4,074 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1931 | #4,098 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #4,320 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #4,482 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #4,709 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1922 | #4,688 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1920 | #4,084 | 6 | 0.0006% |
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 Lila Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Lila's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lila's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.