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Feminine

Lilah

/ˈlaɪ.lə/

Night, or 'divine play'

PersianArabicSanskrit

How to say it

LI · lah

/ˈlaɪ.lə/

What it means

Spelling variant of Lila, with three converged roots: Arabic Laylah ('night,' same as Layla), Persian Lila ('purple, lilac'), and Sanskrit Lila ('divine play, cosmic dance'). The H-spelling tilts modern American.

Lilah is a spelling variant of Lila, with three converged roots. The Arabic Laylah means 'night' (same as Layla). The Persian Lila means 'lilac' or 'purple flower.' The Sanskrit Lila means 'divine play' or 'cosmic dance,' a key theological concept in Hindu philosophy. The H-spelling Lilah surfaced in US use in the 2010s as parents leaned into the vintage feel with a modern stylization. As a US given name Lilah entered the top 500 in 2018. Common short: Li or Lilah is already a short.

Popularity over time

#10 #100 #1000 #1 #901918802025

peaked at #179 in 2024, currently #179 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

  • Spelling

    Lila (no H) and Lilah (with H) are the same name; Lila is the slightly more common US spelling but Lilah is climbing.

  • Pronunciation

    LY-luh (rhymes with 'tile') is the dominant US pronunciation; LEE-luh is the Sanskrit and the alternate.

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.

  • Lilah (modern naming) Vintage-revival diminutive used by celebrities including Jenna Bush Hager's daughter (born 2013)

Spelling variants

  • Lila
  • Layla
  • Leyla