How to say it
LEI · a
/ˈleɪ.ə/
Feminine
Leia
Weary, or a star's heroine
What it means
Best known from Star Wars; the spelling echoes Leah (Hebrew, 'weary') and the Hawaiian leia, 'child of heaven.'
Leia owes its fame to Princess Leia of Star Wars, the name George Lucas chose in 1977. On paper it shadows the Hebrew Leah, traditionally read as 'weary,' and overlaps with Lia and Leyah. Each new Star Wars wave nudges it back up the charts, and it now reads as both regal and a little rebellious. Most say LAY-uh, though LEE-uh follows the Leah pattern.
Popularity over time
peaked at #211 in 2023, currently #297 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
Princess Leia is the dominant association and the reason for the name's modern rise.
- Pronunciation
Usually LAY-uh; LEE-uh tracks the Leah spelling.
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.
- Princess Leia the rebel leader of the Star Wars saga
Spelling variants
- Leah
- Lia
- Leyah
Names with the same feeling
See Leia from another angle
By meaning
By style