LEILA  

Gender: F
Origin: Persian
Meaning: "dark beauty, night"

Popularity in 2008: #226

The root name for a lush garden of similarly exotic examples, Leila was popularized by the poet Byron, who used it in a poem for a Muslim child. It's been chosen by such celebs as Al Roker and Greta Scacchi.

Nicknames & Variations:
Leyla, Leilia, Lelia, Lila, Leelah, Laila, Leela, Lela, Lilah, Layla, Lelah, Leland, Leilah

Leila is being discussed in our message boards:

• Names for my hats!
• my newest revised list
• Your absolute, number one, favourite name!
• I think/hope this is it!! WDYT
• Your fav of my top girls and boys

Read Nameberry blog posts about Leila:

• HOTTEST BABY NAME TRENDS OF 2010
• CELEBRITY BABY NAMES: The Hottest Trends Right Now
• IRISH NAMES NOW: What's doing in Dublin?
• EMMA'S DAUGHTERS
• SILENT SCREEN NAMES: Vintage names of vamps and villains