The baby name Lila blends multiple origins and meanings with a stylish, twenty-first century sound.
Thanks to Frances for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
LILAC, BEAUTY, LOVE YOU LOTS
Lila’s origins are much debated.
It can come from an Arabic or Persian word meaning night, dark, or possibly dark beauty.
In Sanskrit, the baby name Lila refers to amusement or play.
The color lilac – and the flower – are known as lila in German Dutch, Spanish, and a handful of other languages.
Longer, similar names, like Delilah, might easily shorten to Lila.
Some might choose the baby name Lila as a feminine form of Lyle, which comes from the French l’isle – island.
And here’s a completely twenty-first century twist: spell the name Lyla, and it could be an acronym for Love You Lots Always.
Factor in other spellings and related names, and even more potential origins and meanings attach to the baby name Lila. Not bad for a mere two syllables, four letters!
LOVELY LILA
Even without all of this backstory, the baby name Lila would almost certainly be on the rise.
That’s because we’ve been wild about L-l names for years now.
Just ask parents who named their daughters Lily and Lola, Lillian and Layla. Similar sounding names dot the popularity charts, like Laurel and Leilani.
L names in general are enjoying a moment. There’s also Leah, Luna, Lucy, Lennon, and Lydia – to name just a few.
Of course, spellings of Lila and Layla alone make up a significant chunk of the current US popularity chart.
But how did the baby girl name Lila enter general use in English in the first place?
LITERARY LILA
Credit nineteenth century poet Lord Byron for sparking broader interest in the baby name Lila.
To be clear, the name was in use much earlier.
But as a young man, Byron embarked on a Grand Tour of Europe, including Turkey.
Not long after, he penned The Giaour, a tale of a harem girl in love with a Christian.
Worth noting: giaour is an insulting term for a non-Muslim.
Published in 1813, when Byron was newly famous, it’s the tale of a harem girl named Leila.
She falls in love with an outsider – the Giaour. When her duplicity is discovered, her husband puts her to death by drowning. Her lover takes revenge, killing her husband and murderer, before repenting and entering a monastery.
It’s easy to argue that the baby name Lila isn’t exactly the same as Lila. But it seems like Byron gets credit for introducing the name to the English-speaking world.
Another Leila appears in his later epic poem, Don Juan.
JULIET
So where did Byron find the name?
It turns out that Leila would’ve been an obvious choice for a romantic – and tragic – figure.
Medieval writers told of Layla and Majnun. It may have been based on a real story from the 600s.
The poet Qays fell madly in love with Layla. Obsessed, maybe, earning the nickname Majnun – crazy. Layla’s dad considered Qays an unacceptable match and arranged for her to marry another.
She dies – some accounts say of heartbreak. And he dies, too, after wandering in the wilderness.
Byron knew the tale. He compared it to Romeo and Juliet. In fact, a popular translation of the story was completed by Isaac D’Israeli in 1799, so lots of Byron’s contemporaries knew of Leila.
Taking a name of Arabic origin and changing the spelling from “ei” to “i” is easy to imagine, so Lila probably entered English primarily as a simplified spelling of Leila.
LEE, LAY, LIE
English speakers nearly always pronounce Lila with a long I sound, as in Tyler and Kyle.
Layla takes the long A of Aidan and James.
Leila, though, can be tricky. It could sound like Lila, Layla, or LEE lah, as key and tea. (Then again, Mila is pronounced with an ‘ee’ sound, too.)
But ultimately, in English, Leila split. It became both the baby name Lila and the baby name Layla.
BY the NUMBERS
In recent years, the rise of so many similar names blurs the lines even more. Looking at the current SSA Top 1000 as of 2021:
- Layla at #25
- Lyla at #110
- Leila at #214
- Lila at #223
- Lilah at #245
- Lylah at #577
- Leyla at #672
- Laylah at #867
Even disregarding the A and E versions, that makes four spellings in the rankings: Lyla, Lila, Lilah, and and Lylah.
The most popular, Lyla, also might be the most straightforward in terms of spelling. With girls answering to Kyla, Lyla seems like an obvious choice.
Regardless of spelling, the name clearly surged in the twenty-first century – though Lyla only recently overtook Lila as the more common version.
LILA IN FICTION
The baby name Lila has always appeared on the fringes. Plenty of fictional figures answer to the name, including:
- 1942 Bing Crosby classic Holiday Inn includes Virginia Dale as Lila.
- General Hospital matriarch Lila Quartermaine, seen on daytime television for decades.
- Lila Fowler was the poor little rich girl of the Sweet Valley High series.
- Long-runned Nickelodeon animated series Hey Arnold! included Lila Sawyer, aka “Little Miss Perfect.”
- Sociopath Lila Tournay was a major force in Dexter.
- In 2007’s August Rush, Keri Russell played the well-heeled cellist Lyla.
- Friday Night Lights‘ characters include cheerleader Lyla Garrity.
In real life, Kate Moss is mom to a daughter named Lila Grace, now starting a modeling career of her own.
TIMELESS CHARM
All together, the baby name Lila is rich with timeless charm. Effortlessly international, Lila works for nearly any family, whether you’re after underused traditional-ish picks or modern favorites.
The only challenge, of course, is that Lila – with all of those spellings! – is quite popular. Add in names like Lily and Lola and Lula, and it’s easy to imagine that Lila could be one among many. Spelling, clarifying your preferred spelling, and repeating your chosen pronunciation seems like an ongoing task.
And yet, with so many powerful qualities, the baby name Lila might be worth the risk.
Would you consider the baby name Lila?
First published on September 8, 2010, this post was revised and re-published on November 9, 2021 and again on November 30, 2022.
I will always love this name! My beloved grandma was named Lila Faye – she was born in Missouri in 1935, so the name was much less common then. I’m not sure where it came from – her sisters had more common names for the time (Martha and Annette). For most of my grandma’s life, she complained that her name was mispronounced as “Lill-ah,” but now that the name is so much more popular, I don’t think that would be as much of an issue.
I’ve also wondered if Lila could be usable as a nickname for Eliza, given the similar sounds.
Oh, that’s fascinating! And since Lily originally came from Elizabeth, I can see Lila working for Eliza.
I have a Lilah. Another thing to note is that it’s the Hebrew word for “night” and anglicization of the Hebrew word for lilac.
I wonder if giving it two L’s would change the pronouncing of the name? I love Lilla, because it’s Hungarian name. My ancestors came from Hungary and Hungarian names has always fascinated me. However, it’s so hard to find a Hungarian name that would actually work in Hungarian and English!
Abby, would you say that Lila is more commonly pronounced ‘Leela’ or ‘Lyla’? If one wanted the ‘Lyla’ pronounciation, do you think the ‘Lila’ spelling would be confusing (I think it looks much prettier)? Thanks!
I think Lila is typically pronounced like Lyla, rhymes with Skyla and Kyla.
But maybe that’s my perspective from this part of the world – let me ask on Facebook + Twitter …
That would be great! Thanks so much.
Thank you. As a newborn photographer, I always research the origin of names of newborns that come into my studio. What a vivid description of the various origins and the many ways in which it is spelled.
Here is the specific post for Baby Lyla with the credit due to this page: http://www.avnidaphotography.com/2014/12/01/newborn-photography-millburn-nj-baby-lyla/
I like it when people get together and share opinions.
Great site, stick with it!
My name is Lila (Leela) And I love it. I would love it even more if it wasnt so popular! I loved it so much when it was unique but now its not really that unique and I’m quite annoyed by that 🙁
My daughter’s middle name is Lila (pn Lee-la). While she is often referred to as Little Lila – usually pronounced Leetle Leela! – I do have some regrets over the name. The different pronunciations didn’t bother me before she was born. I naively thought we could just correct people if they said Lie-la, but I am constantly frustrated with people telling me we pronounce it ‘wrong’. Despite loving names, I somehow missed it’s rise in popularity, as both her first and middle names are more popular than I’d like.
It’s a pretty name and suits her well but I don’t absolutely love it like I do her brother’s.
I think the consensus is that Lila is lovely, but ever so popular!
I know parents who went with the Lyla spelling because he’s German, and Lila would be pronounced differently. (Angela, I’m pretty sure you’re right about the purple reference, too – what I don’t know is if it is the main word for purple, or if it is more like violet, lilac, etc. Anyone?)
Joy, what a sweet story!
Melissa, I think the “Lila is the new Ava” idea is spot on!
And Julie, Lily, Lila, and Lola? That’s much too close. How confusing.
I’m sure someone is more qualified, but a year of German in college way back when brings to mind Purpur first for purple… I wonder if it’s dialectical or, like English, different shades?
My German is usually limited to words related to shopping or cooking, but I think:
Lila = Lilac/Mauve
Purpur = Purple
Violett = Violet
Thanks, Julie – that makes sense.
To me…
Leila = LAY-luh [‘le?.l?]
Lila = LEE-luh [‘li?.l?]
Laila = LYE-luh [‘la?.l?]
[HA! I typed out the IPA and realised that the symbols were the same as the spellings!]
Layla could be LYE-luh or LAY-luh — I’d be more inclined to pronounce it the same as Laila, but I know that most would intend LAY-luh to be the pronunciation.
Lilah, again, I would pronounce the same as Lila, but recognise that others would say it like LYE-luh.
When I was little, my elderly babysitters helped me send letters to their friend in California, Leila, pronounced LEE-lah. This lady was in her 70s or 80s in the mid 1970s, so all versions of Lila and Leela sound old-fashioned to me.
BTW, my “letters” were mostly photos of kittens, flowers, etc. that I cut out of magazines. I never met Leila, but she always replied with a little note and an envelope full of her own cut-out photos. Very strange yet sweet.
My Aunt is named Lyla, so that’s seems like the correct spelling to me and Lilah and Lila just look strange. My mom is amazed to meet babies named Lila, because her sister’s name was considered very old-fashioned when they were children. I would have considered the name IF Lila hadn’t shot up so quickly. But that’s not really true, because if Lila hadn’t become popular, I would just think of it as my 65-year-old aunt’s name.
My in-law’s have a neighbor with daughters named Lily, Lila and Lola. Darling little girls, but I can’t keep their names straight (or get over that sib-set.)
I really like Lila and Leila, both pronounced LIE-la, and Lilah is okay too.
I think Lila (lie-lah) is beautiful! I loved the combo Lila Grace until Kate Moss used it in 2002. Now it is a bit too popular for my taste. But still just as pretty!
I really think that Lila is one of the most beautiful names around. I was pulling for it when I was pregnant with Phoebe, but DH had an ex-girlfriend named Lila, so he said absolutely not. Now I admit I am relieved he wouldn’t let me use her, we know quite a few little Lilas (seems to be the preferred spelling around here) these days.
This is one of those names that makes me sigh a bit sadly. It would be one of my Top 5 names for a girl if it weren’t so popular. The lilting sound of it is so lovely.
My name happens to be Lila. Thank you! Glad you like my
Name. I used to be ashamed of my name because
It wasn’t so popular and sounded old fashion.
This ofcourse was some thirty yrs ago. I wouldn’t
Change it for the world. I sweet,I think and so
Was my grandmother whom I was named after.
Don’t be sad popular is good sometimes,even common.
Lila in Michigan
My husband just found an old list of name options that I wrote down for our daughter, who was born in 2005. I had Lila June on the list and it stood out to me now, as being one of the better choices on the list. I guess he wasn’t keen on it at the time though. And I wouldn’t add it to a current list either, with it’s rising popularity and closeness to Lily and Lola. Though I’ve not personally met any little Lilas locally.
Ah, Lila. If my first child had been a girl we would have named her Lila (lie-luh). But he came with boy parts, and Sam he became. I’m currently pregnant with my second son, but I don’t think we would have gone with Lila this time around if it had been a girl. I still think it’s a beautiful name and love the sound of it, but it really has skyrocketed in popularity. I think Laura Wattenberg even pegged it as the #1 girls name for 2019. It has all the makings to be another Ava. But still, it is a lovely name. Thanks for sharing it’s history!
I think it is sweet and old-fashioned–one of those antique charm names. One of my grandmother’s friends is named Lila (She is 85). Over the years, whenever I heard my Gram say her name, I always thought how lovely it was. To me, it feels Southern and lady-like and confurs images of verandas and lemonade, etc. Not sure exactly why…. Just this summer it surfaced on my radar again, in the form of a little blonde-haired toddler playing on the floor outside my daughter’s ballet class. When her mother called her to pick up her toys, I remember thinking how refreshingly simple and elegant it sounded, especially attributed to a little girl. Still, even after all that praise for the name, I wouldn’t use it since I feel it sounds too similar to the uber-popular Lily and the trendy Lola.
“I wouldn
Once upon a time I loved Lyla, Lila, Lily, Lola.. but man, the popularity today just puts me off.. I still think they are pretty, just not unique enough for my taste anymore.
If my memory serves me correctly, “lila” (pronounced LEE-luh) means “purple” in German.
I found several websites that claimed that Laila was an East-Indian variant of the Arabic name, Leila. The meaning given was dark/dusk, like in the Arabic name. This spelling variant makes sense when you take into account how Indian languages are usually transliterated into English. “Ai” is what is traditionally used to make the long “ie” sound, while both “i” and “ee” are used to create the long “ee” sound. In other words, in Sanskrit, both Lila and Leela would be pronounced “LEE-la”. The different choice in spelling might be based on what part of India the transliteration comes from. My best guess is that Leela is more North Indian while Lila is more popular in the south.
I think this name is going to be really huge. Before we knew our first son was a boy, this was the girl name in mind for a brief period of time. It changed when I saw the rise in popularity. It also bothered me that it seemed most Lila(h)s in tv and movies were evil, crazy and/or sluttty. Lilah on Angel was one of my favorite characters, but I wouldn’t want to name a baby after her. 😛 There was also the minor stalker character on the first season of Damages. I think the protagonist of the (very sexual) movie Lie With Me was Lila(h) too.
I think Lila/Lilah is very pretty. Too bad its gotten popular, and I really dislike the trendy looking Lyla.
I do like the fact that Lila also happens to be the word for purple in several languages.
my niece is lilah (pronunced lie-la) so although maybe it wouldn’t have been my first choice i love it because of the accosiation! there was also a lilah in the tv show angel (she was an morally ambiguous lawyer)