UK girl's name
Leeya
A variant of Leah, a feminine Hebrew name meaning "weary" or "tired.".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Leeya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Leeya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3695, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 11 births.
This profile covers 130 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1999 to 2024. 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 55% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 129 living people in the UK are called Leeya. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Leeya ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 11 girls were registered as Leeya.
- • About 129 living people in the UK are estimated to have Leeya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3695
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
2012
11 births
Estimated living
129
2026
Meaning
What does Leeya mean?
The name Leeya is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was predominantly used in the Indian subcontinent. The name Leeya is derived from the Sanskrit word "lila," which means "play" or "sport." It is thought to have been used as a name during the medieval period in India, although its exact origins are difficult to pinpoint.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Leeya can be found in the Hindu scriptures known as the Puranas. These ancient texts, which date back to around the 4th century CE, mention a character named Leeya who was a devoted follower of Lord Krishna. However, it is unclear whether this character was a real historical figure or simply a symbolic representation.
In the 12th century, there was a famous Indian mystic and poet named Leeya who was known for her devotional songs and poems dedicated to Lord Shiva. She is considered one of the most renowned female saints in the Bhakti movement, which was a spiritual renaissance that swept across the Indian subcontinent during the medieval period.
Another notable figure with the name Leeya was a 16th-century Indian princess who ruled over the princely state of Dungarpur in present-day Rajasthan, India. Princess Leeya was known for her patronage of the arts and her efforts in promoting education and culture within her kingdom.
In the 19th century, there was an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer named Leeya Thakar who played a pivotal role in the struggle for India's independence from British rule. She was also a prominent advocate for women's rights and education, and her work inspired many other activists of her time.
More recently, in the 20th century, there was a renowned Indian classical dancer named Leeya Samson who was widely regarded as one of the greatest exponents of the Bharatanatyam dance form. Her performances and teachings helped to preserve and promote this ancient Indian dance tradition on a global scale.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Leeya over time
The chart below shows babies named Leeya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Leeya, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leeya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Leeya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4067 | 15 | 3 |
| 2010s | #3722 | 66 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3300 | 46 | 8 |
| 1990s | #3900 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Leeya
- 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
Leeya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Leeya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Leeya was ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Leeya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 11 babies registered as Leeya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Leeya?
A variant of Leah, a feminine Hebrew name meaning "weary" or "tired.".
How many people are called Leeya in the UK?
A total of 130 babies have been registered as Leeya across the 22 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.