NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Laelah

A feminine Arabic name meaning "night wanderer" or "night traveler".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Laelah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Laelah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4763, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 4 births.

This profile covers 4 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2017 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Laelah is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 4 living people in the UK are called Laelah. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Laelah ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2017, when 4 girls were registered as Laelah.
  • About 4 living people in the UK are estimated to have Laelah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4763

2017

Births in 2017

4

Latest year

Peak year

2017

4 births

Estimated living

4

2026

Meaning

What does Laelah mean?

The name Laelah is a relatively rare name with obscure origins. It is believed to have roots in ancient Aramaic, a language that was once widely spoken in the Middle East. The name may be derived from the Aramaic word "lala," which means "night" or "darkness." Alternatively, it could be related to the Hebrew name "Leah," which means "weary" or "tired."

There are no definitive historical references or mentions of the name Laelah in ancient texts or religious scriptures. However, some scholars suggest that it may have been used as a variant spelling of the name Leah in certain regions of the ancient Middle East.

The earliest recorded examples of the name Laelah are relatively modern, dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Laelah Bashir (1885-1964), a Syrian-born writer and activist who advocated for women's rights in the Middle East.

Another notable figure named Laelah was Laelah Haji (1903-1988), an Iraqi-Kurdish politician and women's rights activist. She was one of the first women to be elected to the Iraqi Parliament in the 1940s.

In the realm of literature, Laelah Taib (1914-2002) was a prominent Sudanese novelist and poet. Her works explored themes of cultural identity, gender roles, and social issues in Sudan.

The name Laelah also has some connections to the arts. Laelah Bashir (1928-2017) was an Egyptian actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout the mid-20th century.

Lastly, Laelah Al-Khafaji (1938-2019) was an Iraqi mathematician and academic. She made significant contributions to the field of algebraic topology and was a pioneering figure in promoting women's education and scientific research in Iraq.

While the name Laelah remains relatively uncommon, these historical figures have helped to preserve its legacy and cultural significance over the years.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Decades

Laelah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Laelah was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #4763 4 1

Related

Names similar to Laelah

FAQ

Laelah: questions and answers

How popular is the name Laelah in the UK right now?

In 2017, Laelah was ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Laelah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2017, with 4 babies registered as Laelah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Laelah?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "night wanderer" or "night traveler".

How many people are called Laelah in the UK?

A total of 4 babies have been registered as Laelah across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.