How to say it
de · LI · lah
/dəˈlaɪ.lə/
Feminine
Delilah
Delicate, languishing
What it means
Hebrew Delilah, from a root meaning 'to weaken' or 'languish.' The biblical Delilah cut Samson's hair and broke his strength; the name has worn its reputation for three thousand years.
Delilah is the Hebrew Delilah, from a root meaning 'to weaken' or 'to languish.' In the Book of Judges she's the Philistine woman Samson loves, who learns the secret of his strength (his uncut hair) and betrays him to her people. The story has been retold in opera (Saint-Saëns), film (Cecil B. DeMille's 1949 Samson and Delilah), and Tom Jones's 1968 song. Parents who use the name are aware of the biblical baggage and most of them like it; the name has been climbing in the US since 2010 and is now in the top 100.
Popularity over time
peaked at #50 in 2024, currently #51 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
The biblical Delilah and Tom Jones's 1968 song are the two strongest associations, both with their own complexity. Most parents using the name today take it as a sound choice and accept the reference.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Delilah (Bible) The Philistine woman who cut Samson's hair and broke his strength
- Delilah (radio) Long-running American radio host (Delilah Rene), love-songs and dedications since 1996
Spelling variants
- Delila
- Delyla
Names with the same feeling
See Delilah from another angle
By style