Leah
Girl name · #58 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Leah? In official American birth records, Leah has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Leah is currently the #58 girl name in the United States — 3,880 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #36, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 464 girls born in 2025 was named Leah.
The 145-year story
Leah first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 54 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2009, when 6,790 girls were named Leah — good for #29 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Leah per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Leah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Leah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Leah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Leah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Leah is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Leah is most common in DE (8 per 1,000), NY (7 per 1,000), NJ (6.9 per 1,000), RI (5.3 per 1,000), NV (3.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 3 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Leah is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Leah
Statistically, parents drawn to Leah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lydia, Maya, Aaliyah, Hannah, and Claire.
LydiaMayaAaliyahHannahClaireSophieAudreyJade
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Leah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,880 | #58 |
| 2024 | 3,988 | #53 |
| 2023 | 3,976 | #53 |
| 2022 | 4,196 | #52 |
| 2021 | 4,474 | #46 |
| 2020 | 4,530 | #45 |
| 2019 | 4,780 | #43 |
| 2018 | 5,038 | #41 |
| 2017 | 5,202 | #40 |
| 2016 | 5,434 | #37 |
| 2015 | 5,636 | #36 |
| 2014 | 5,610 | #35 |
| 2013 | 5,618 | #32 |
| 2012 | 5,781 | #33 |
| 2011 | 6,400 | #29 |
| 2010 | 6,545 | #24 |
| 2009 | 6,790 | #29 |
| 2008 | 5,634 | #40 |
| 2007 | 4,555 | #67 |
| 2006 | 4,657 | #68 |
| 2005 | 4,601 | #68 |
| 2004 | 4,744 | #64 |
| 2003 | 3,925 | #81 |
| 2002 | 3,604 | #87 |
| 2001 | 3,521 | #87 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Leah?
In official American birth records, the name Leah first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 54 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Leah a popular girl name?
Leah ranked #58 among girls in 2025 with 3,880 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #36.
When was the name Leah most popular?
Leah peaked in 2009, when 6,790 American girls received the name (ranked #29 that year). Since 2009 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Leah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 464 newborn American girls was named Leah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.