Leia is a name of Hebrew origin, meaning "I know" or "God knows". It is derived from the Hebrew word "יָדַע" (yada'), which means "to know".
The name Leia first appeared in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it was the name of King David's daughter. In the New Testament, it was also used as a feminine form of the Greek name "Λέων" (Leōn), meaning "lion".
Over time, Leia has become a popular given name for girls around the world. It has been used in various cultures and languages, including Hebrew, English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Icelandic, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish, Breton, Portuguese, Catalan, Galician, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek, Turkish, Arabic, Persian, Armenian, Georgian, Azeri, Albanian, Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Moldovan, Montenegrin, and Romani.
Today, Leia remains a beloved name for girls, with its meaning and history making it a popular choice among parents. It is often associated with intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge due to its etymology. However, it is important to note that the personality traits of individuals are not determined by their names alone.
The name Leia has seen a significant increase in popularity over the past few decades in the United States. Between 1949 and 1976, there were fewer than 100 births per year with the name Leia each year, with some years seeing as little as five or six babies named Leia.
However, starting in 1977, the number of births with the name Leia began to rise steadily. That year saw a significant jump to 98 births, and by 1980, there were over 160 babies named Leia born in the United States. This trend continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with the number of births per year ranging from around 40 to over 100.
In the new millennium, the popularity of the name Leia has surged even further. Between 2000 and 2023, there have been over 7,500 babies named Leia born in the United States, with the number of births per year ranging from around 120 to over 1,400.
The most popular years for the name Leia in recent decades were 2016 and 2023, when there were over 1,000 babies named Leia born each year. Overall, since records began in 1949, there have been a total of over 16,500 babies named Leia born in the United States.
This data suggests that the name Leia has become increasingly popular among parents in recent years, with many choosing to give their daughters this unique and distinctive name.