Leia is a moderately popular girls' name in England & Wales, ranking #272 in 2022 with 168 recorded births. This places Leia in the top 4% of ranked UK girls' names for the year. Its actual usage is classified as Moderately Popular. The name reached its all-time peak in 2022 with 168 births ranking #272. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 330.8%. In 2022, approximately 1 in every 1,569 girls born was named Leia. FALLING Recent data shows the name is currently falling.
Leia is most often treated as a modern variant of Leah, so it is usually linked to the same ancient Hebrew background. It feels bright, distinctive, and instantly recognisable.
Although the name has older-looking roots through Leah, its public visibility was strongly boosted by the Star Wars character Princess Leia. That association helped turn it into a mainstream modern choice.