Leaha
A feminine name with Hebrew origins meaning "tired" or "weary one".
Name Census estimates that about 528 living Americans carry the first name Leaha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Leaha today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leaha births was 1990 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leaha. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
528
~ 1 in 649,156 Americans
Peak year
1990
26 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
2013 SSA rank
#10,679
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Leaha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Leaha from the 1940s through to the 2010s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 139 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leaha by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Leaha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Leaha
The name Leaha is believed to have its origins in the Hawaiian language. It is thought to be a variation or alternative spelling of the Hawaiian name Leia, which means "child of heaven" or "heavenly flower." The name is rooted in the rich cultural traditions and mythology of the Hawaiian islands.
Historically, the name Leaha first appeared in written records and folklore from the Hawaiian islands, dating back to the late 18th century. It was commonly used by Native Hawaiian families and communities during this time period. The earliest recorded use of the name Leaha is found in genealogical records and oral histories passed down through generations of Hawaiian families.
While the name Leaha does not have a direct connection to any specific ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is closely tied to the spiritual and cultural beliefs of the Hawaiian people. The name's meaning, "child of heaven" or "heavenly flower," reflects the Hawaiian reverence for nature, the celestial realm, and the interconnectedness of all living beings.
One of the earliest notable figures with the name Leaha was Leaha Kaʻanapali, a Hawaiian chiefess and landowner who lived in the early 19th century on the island of Maui. She was known for her leadership and her efforts to preserve traditional Hawaiian cultural practices and land rights.
Another prominent individual with the name Leaha was Leaha Kealoha, a Hawaiian educator and advocate for Native Hawaiian rights in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She played a significant role in establishing Hawaiian language schools and promoting the preservation of Hawaiian culture and traditions.
In the realm of Hawaiian music and hula, Leaha Kaʻaihue was a renowned kumu hula (hula teacher) and practitioner of traditional Hawaiian chants and dances in the early 20th century. She was instrumental in passing on the knowledge and art of hula to future generations.
Leaha Napeahi was a celebrated Hawaiian artist and practitioner of traditional Hawaiian arts and crafts in the mid-20th century. Her works, including intricate weavings and tapa cloth designs, are celebrated for their cultural significance and artistic excellence.
Lastly, Leaha Kealoha-Kalima was a prominent Hawaiian activist and advocate for Native Hawaiian rights and sovereignty in the late 20th century. She played a vital role in the Hawaiian Renaissance movement, which sought to revive and perpetuate Hawaiian language, culture, and self-determination.
People
Leaha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leaha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Leaha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leaha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 528 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leaha going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 649,156 US residents.
Is Leaha a common name?
We classify Leaha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 559 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leaha most popular?
The single biggest year for Leaha was 1990, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leaha is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Leaha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leaha in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.