UK girl's name
Lailaa
A feminine Arabic name meaning "night" or "dark beauty".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Lailaa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Lailaa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 5 births.
This profile covers 38 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 2000 to 2011. 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.
The latest count is about 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 38 living people in the UK are called Lailaa. 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 2012 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Lailaa ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2003, when 5 girls were registered as Lailaa.
- • About 38 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lailaa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5785
2011
Births in 2011
3
Latest year
Peak year
2003
5 births
Estimated living
38
2026
Meaning
What does Lailaa mean?
The name Lailaa has its origins in Arabic, tracing back to the medieval Islamic era. It is derived from the Arabic word "layl," which means "night." The name is often interpreted as "night beauty" or "born at night."
In pre-Islamic Arabian culture, the night held significant symbolic meaning, associated with mystery, beauty, and tranquility. Consequently, names connected to the night were considered elegant and poetic.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Lailaa can be found in the classic Arabic literary work "Layla and Majnun," a tragic love story from the 7th century. In this tale, Layla is the name of the beloved, whose love for the poet Qays (also known as Majnun) remained unrequited.
Throughout Islamic history, several notable women bore the name Lailaa. One of the most famous was Lailaa al-Akhyaliyah, a renowned 7th-century Arab poetess renowned for her eloquence and wit.
Another historical figure with this name was Lailaa bint Abi Murrah al-Thaqafiyyah, a 7th-century Arab Muslim woman known for her knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her role in transmitting hadiths (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad).
In the medieval period, the name Lailaa was popular among the ruling classes and literary circles of the Islamic world. One notable example was Lailaa, the daughter of the Abbasid caliph Al-Muqtadir, who lived in the 10th century.
During the Ottoman Empire, the name Lailaa continued to be favored, particularly among the elite classes. One prominent figure was Lailaa Khanim, the wife of Sultan Murad IV, who lived in the 17th century and played a significant role in the cultural and political life of the Ottoman court.
Throughout history, the name Lailaa has been celebrated in poetry, literature, and music, reflecting its association with beauty, elegance, and the mystique of the night. It has remained a popular choice across the Arabic-speaking world and among Muslim communities worldwide.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lailaa over time
The chart below shows babies named Lailaa registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Lailaa, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2011, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lailaa by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lailaa 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 | #5746 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3877 | 32 | 8 |
Related
Names similar to Lailaa
- Lily 72,956
- Lucy 70,663
- Lauren 50,664
- Leah 33,185
- Lola 24,525
- Layla 24,520
- Laura 23,471
- Lilly 21,714
- Lydia 18,353
- Libby 14,515
- Lara 13,415
- Lacey 13,406
FAQ
Lailaa: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lailaa in the UK right now?
In 2011, Lailaa was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Lailaa most popular?
The peak year on record was 2003, with 5 babies registered as Lailaa in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lailaa?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "night" or "dark beauty".
How many people are called Lailaa in the UK?
A total of 38 babies have been registered as Lailaa across the 10 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.