UK girl's name
Leiyah
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "the same as Leah" or "weary".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Leiyah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Leiyah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4564, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2004 to 2009. 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.
Leiyah is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Leiyah. 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 2010 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Leiyah ranked #4564 for girls in England and Wales in 2009, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 4 girls were registered as Leiyah.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Leiyah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4564
2009
Births in 2009
4
Latest year
Peak year
2009
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Leiyah mean?
The name Leiyah is believed to have its origins in Arabic culture, deriving from the word "layla" which means "night" or "dark beauty." The name is thought to have emerged during the medieval Islamic Golden Age, a period of significant cultural, economic, and scientific advancement in the Islamic world.
In Arabic literature, the name Leiyah gained prominence through the famous love story of Layla and Majnun, a tragic tale of unrequited love that has been retold and celebrated across various cultures for centuries. This literary work, written by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in the 12th century, is considered a masterpiece of Persian literature and has contributed to the enduring popularity of the name.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Leiyah can be found in the writings of the renowned Muslim philosopher and polymath, Avicenna (980-1037 CE). He is believed to have had a daughter named Leiyah, though historical records of her life are scarce.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Leiyah. One of the most prominent was Leiyah al-Amiriya (1265-1309 CE), a revered Arab poet and scholar from Damascus, Syria. Her poetic works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime and have been preserved and studied by scholars over the centuries.
Another notable figure was Leiyah al-Andalusiyya (1162-1242 CE), a renowned Andalusian poet and calligrapher from the Iberian Peninsula. Her intricate calligraphic works and poetic compositions were highly praised, and she is considered one of the most influential female artists of the Islamic Golden Age in Spain.
In more recent times, Leiyah Boudiaf (1914-1992) was an Algerian revolutionary and feminist activist who played a significant role in the Algerian War of Independence against French colonial rule. She was a prominent figure in the National Liberation Front (FLN) and worked tirelessly to promote women's rights and education in post-independence Algeria.
Leiyah Khaled (born 1944) is a Palestinian revolutionary and activist who gained international recognition for her involvement in the Palestinian resistance movement against Israeli occupation. She was the first woman to join the armed struggle and participated in several high-profile hijackings and operations, becoming a symbol of the Palestinian cause.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Leiyah, highlighting its rich cultural heritage and the diverse contributions of those who have carried this name across various fields and regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Leiyah over time
The chart below shows babies named Leiyah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Leiyah, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2009, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leiyah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Leiyah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4581 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Leiyah
- 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
Leiyah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Leiyah in the UK right now?
In 2009, Leiyah was ranked #4564 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Leiyah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 4 babies registered as Leiyah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Leiyah?
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "the same as Leah" or "weary".
How many people are called Leiyah in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Leiyah 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.