The story behind Lela
A female given name from Arabic, possibly a variant of Leila.
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): L IY1 L AH0
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Lela ranked #2374 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Lela
Laila
Variant of Leila and Layla, from Arabic لَيْلَى (laylā), related to لَيْلَة (layla, “night”). First recorded in Finland in 1875. Explained as a Sami name, and used for Sami…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Layla
One of many alternative spellings of a name transliterated from Arabic; see Leila for more information. Since the late 20th century, in English, this given name in this…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Leila
From Arabic لَيْلَى (laylā). Taken into English usage through nineteenth-century literature. Ultimately from Arabic لَيْلَى (laylā).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Leyla
Inherited from Ottoman Turkish ليلى (Leylâ), from Arabic لَيْلَى (laylā).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Lila
Variant of Leila or Lilah, depending on pronunciation; also associated with Spanish lila (“lilac”). From Sanskrit लीला (līlā, “play, charm”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Lyla
A spelling variant of Leila.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Lela
Bahriye
Inherited from Ottoman Turkish بحریه, from Arabic بَحْرِيَّة (baḥriyya).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Berahim
From Arabic إِبْرَاهِيم (ʔibrāhīm), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (avrahám). Doublet of Ibrahim.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Bo
Either borrowed from modern Danish Bo or Swedish Bo, or a spelling variant of the male given name Beau. From Old Norse Búi (“dweller, long-time resident”), originally a…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Lela
Abed
From Arabic عَابِد (ʕābid, “servant, worshipper”)
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends D
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Adam
Middle English Adam English Adam From Middle English Adam, from Old English Adam, from Latin Adam, Adamus, from Ancient Greek Ἀδάμ (Adám), Ἄδαμος (Ádamos), from Biblical Hebrew…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Adel
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *aþalaz. The female name is a rare variant of Adele. The surname is borrowed from German Adel. Variant of Adil, from Arabic عَادِل (ʕādil).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection