Leilan first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Leilan has been for the last 18 years (from 2006 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Leilan

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "night lover or beloved".

Popularity of Leilan by gender

Based on the last 18 years of data, Leilan is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 10 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Leilan.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 10 0
2022 9 0
2021 5 0
2019 7 0
2018 8 0
2017 14 0
2015 13 0
2014 11 0
2013 6 0
2012 10 0
2011 12 0
2010 14 0
2009 12 0
2008 7 0
2007 9 0
2006 5 0

The history of the first name Leilan

The name Leilan is of Persian origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Iranian language of Pahlavi. It is derived from the combination of two words, "lei" meaning "night" and "lan" meaning "place" or "abode." Essentially, the name Leilan signifies "a place of night" or "night abode."

In ancient Persian mythology, Leilan was the name of a beautiful princess who was said to be the embodiment of the moon's radiance. Her story is woven into the epic tales of the Shahnameh, the national epic of Greater Iran, composed by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century AD.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Leilan can be found in the works of the 13th-century Persian poet, Rumi. In his poetic masterpiece, the Masnavi, Rumi narrates a story featuring a character named Leilan, further cementing the name's place in Persian literature and culture.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Leilan. One such individual was Leilan Amin (1891-1976), an Egyptian feminist and activist who played a pivotal role in the women's rights movement in Egypt during the early 20th century.

Another prominent figure was Leilan Elassy (1890-1980), a Syrian-American writer and journalist who made significant contributions to Arabic literature and championed the cause of Arab nationalism.

In the realm of music, Leilan Numan (1915-1997) was a renowned Iraqi singer and actress who gained widespread popularity for her performances in Arabic films and her unique vocal style.

Moving to the field of science, Leilan Arwin (1932-2018) was a pioneering Iranian physicist and mathematician who made groundbreaking contributions to the study of quantum mechanics and theoretical physics.

Lastly, Leilan Saadi (born 1978) is a contemporary Iranian-American writer and activist whose works explore themes of identity, diaspora, and the experiences of immigrants and refugees.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Leilan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Leilan, please contact us.

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"Leilan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 4, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/leilan-meaning-and-history/.

"Leilan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/leilan-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 4 June, 2025

Leilan first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/leilan-meaning-and-history/.

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