The first name Lea

In 2025, 63 girls were named Lea, making it the 622nd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2017, with 86 births (#503).

Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Lea with other names.

In 2025, 321 girls born in the United States were named Lea, the 848th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1970, when 593 were.

US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

• Lea Michele
  American actress and singer, born 1986
• Lea Thompson
  American actress, born 1961
• Lea Schüller
  German association football player, born 1997
• Léa Drucker
  French actress, born 1972
• Lea DeLaria
  American actor, comedian and singer, born 1958
• Lea Ypi
  Albanian philosopher and professor of political theory at the London School of Economics, born 1979
• Lea Friedrich
  German cyclist, born 2000
• Anna Lea Merritt
  American painter (1844-1930)
• Lea Wermelin
  Danish politician, born 1985
• Maria Lea Pedini-Angelini
  Captain Regent of San Marino, born 1954
• Léa Pool
  Film director, screenwriter, born 1950
• Lea Deutsch
  Croatian child actress (1927–1943)

• Ava
• Isabella
• Elizabeth
• Jessica
• Maria
• Abigail
• Maya
• Hannah
• Elsie
• Sarah
• Aria
• Molly
• Eliza
• Leah
• Delilah
• Isabel

All 346 names of Hebrew origin

What does the name Lea mean?

Lea means “meadow” in Hebrew.

What is the origin of the name Lea?

From Old English lēa, the dative case of lēah (“meadow”).

How popular is the name Lea?

In 2025, 63 girls born in England and Wales were named Lea, ranking 622nd. Its peak was 2017, with 86 births.

Is Lea a boy's or a girl's name?

Mostly a girl's name: 98% of the 34,468 US babies named Lea since 1880 were girls.

When was Lea most popular?

1970 in the United States, when 593 babies were named Lea, its highest rank at 397th.

What name is Lea a form of?

Lea is a form of Leah.

Is Lea also a surname?

Yes. Lea is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.