Leasa
A feminine name of English origin derived from the Old English phrase "leas" meaning "pasture, meadow".
Name Census estimates that about 765 living Americans carry the first name Leasa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Leasa today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leasa births was 1964 (64 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leasa. 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
765
~ 1 in 448,045 Americans
Peak year
1964
64 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
1990 SSA rank
#12,226
Tracked since 1951
Popularity
Leasa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Leasa from the 1950s through to the 1990s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 502 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leasa 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 Leasa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Leasas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. Texas, Ohio, California recorded the most babies named Leasa, while Kansas, West Virginia, Oklahoma recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Leasa
The name Leasa finds its origins in the Gaelic language, stemming from the Irish Goidelic branch of the Celtic language family. It is believed to have emerged as a feminine form of the name Leas, which means "benefit" or "advantage" in Irish Gaelic. This name likely arose during the medieval period, when Gaelic names were widely used among the Irish populace.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leasa can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval chronicle that documented events in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th century. The name appears in an entry dated around the 12th century, referring to a woman named Leasa Ní Dhomhnaill, who was a member of the influential Ní Dhomhnaill clan.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Leasa. One such person was Leasa Ní Chonchobhair (born circa 1370), a renowned Irish poet and noblewoman from the O'Conor dynasty of Connacht. Her works, which were composed in the Middle Irish language, are considered significant contributions to the literary tradition of medieval Ireland.
Another prominent figure was Leasa Ní Bhriain (1535-1611), a chieftain and leader of the Uí Bhriain clan in County Clare, Ireland. She played a crucial role in the Gaelic resistance against English colonization during the Elizabethan era and is celebrated for her unwavering defense of Irish sovereignty.
In the 17th century, Leasa Ní Mhaonaigh (1620-1695) was a renowned Irish harpist and composer. She was renowned for her mastery of the traditional Irish harp and her compositions, which were instrumental in preserving and propagating the rich musical heritage of Ireland.
Another notable figure was Leasa Ní Dhonnabháin (1780-1845), a renowned Irish language scholar and scribe. She was instrumental in preserving and transcribing numerous Irish manuscripts, ensuring the preservation of valuable literary and historical works for future generations.
While the name Leasa has its roots in the Irish Gaelic tradition, it has also been adopted and used in various forms across different cultures and languages over the centuries. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic societies of Ireland, where it held significant cultural and historical significance.
People
Leasa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leasa 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
Leasa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leasa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 765 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leasa 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 448,045 US residents.
Is Leasa a common name?
We classify Leasa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 922 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leasa most popular?
The single biggest year for Leasa was 1964, when 64 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leasa is about 59 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Leasa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leasa 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.