NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Laleh

A feminine Persian name meaning "tulip" or "narcissus flower".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Laleh is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Laleh popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5591, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2018 to 2019. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Laleh. 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 2020 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Laleh ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2018, when 3 girls were registered as Laleh.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Laleh as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5591

2019

Births in 2019

3

Latest year

Peak year

2018

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Laleh mean?

The name Laleh has its origins in the Persian language and culture. It is derived from the Persian word "lala," meaning "tulip flower." This beautiful floral name gained popularity in ancient Persia, which is now modern-day Iran.

In Persian literature, the tulip flower has been a prominent symbol of love, beauty, and passion. The renowned Persian poet Hafez, who lived in the 14th century, wrote extensively about the tulip, often using it as a metaphor for the beloved in his romantic verses.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Laleh can be found in the Shahnameh, the epic Persian poem composed by Ferdowsi around 1010 AD. The name appears in the story of Bijan and Manijeh, where Manijeh's handmaiden is called Laleh.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Laleh. One of the earliest was Laleh Khatun, a 13th-century Persian princess and poet known for her eloquent verses celebrating love and beauty.

In the 16th century, Laleh Qadri was a prominent female Sufi mystic and poet from the Mughal Empire. Her spiritual writings and poems gained widespread acclaim during her lifetime.

Laleh Bakhtiar, born in 1938, is a renowned Iranian-American scholar and translator. She is best known for her English translation of the Quran, which aimed to capture the literary and spiritual essence of the original Arabic text.

Laleh Seddigh, born in 1963, is an Iranian actress and filmmaker who has received numerous awards for her work in both Iranian and international cinema. Her films often explore themes of identity, family, and societal norms.

Laleh Pourkarim, born in 1982, is a Swedish singer-songwriter of Iranian descent. Her music blends elements of pop, rock, and Persian influences, and she has gained popularity both in Sweden and internationally.

The name Laleh continues to be a popular choice among Persian and Iranian communities around the world, as it carries a rich cultural heritage and a connection to the beauty and symbolism of the tulip flower.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Laleh over time

The chart below shows babies named Laleh registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2018 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Laleh, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Laleh
01223201820182019

Decades

Laleh by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Laleh 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 #5629 6 2

Related

Names similar to Laleh

FAQ

Laleh: questions and answers

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

In 2019, Laleh was ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Laleh most popular?

The peak year on record was 2018, with 3 babies registered as Laleh in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Laleh?

A feminine Persian name meaning "tulip" or "narcissus flower".

How many people are called Laleh in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Laleh across the 2 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.