Lila
Meaning of Lila
Lila is a compact, pan-linguistic choice whose etymology spans several cultures: from the Sanskrit līlā, signifying “play” or the cosmic “divine game,” to the Arabic-Hebrew lineage of Layla, meaning “night,” and, by a pleasing botanical coincidence, to the English lilac, a bloom prized for its violet hue and faint perfume. Social Security data suggest that the name enjoyed steady favor at the turn of the twentieth century, slid into relative obscurity during the mid-century suburbia years, and has mounted a measured comeback since the millennium—currently hovering just inside the U.S. Top 200. Statistically, its curve resembles a gentle sine wave; aesthetically, it offers parents a soft, two-syllable alternative to the more elaborate Delilah or the brisk Lily. Literary footnotes include Lila Ames, the thoughtful narrator of Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead cycle, while musical aficionados may recall “Hey There Delilah” and quietly thank the songwriter for stopping one syllable short. The name carries an implicit duality: nightfall’s tranquility on one flank, playful creativity on the other—a pairing that lends it both repose and sparkle without veering into melodrama. In short, Lila offers a historically resilient, cross-cultural option for those who appreciate brevity, subtle color, and just a dash of cosmological whimsy.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as LY-luh (/ˈlaɪlə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Lila
| Ana Lila Downs Sanchez is a Mexican singer and songwriter from Oaxaca who blends traditional and popular music with indigenous influences, singing in Mixtec, Zapotec, Mayan, Nahuatl, and Purepecha. |
| Lila York is an American dancer and choreographer from New York City who performed with the Paul Taylor Dance Company for over a decade before becoming a sought after ballet choreographer for leading companies. |
| Lila Grace Rose is an American anti-abortion activist, founder and president of Live Action, known for undercover investigations of abortion facilities including Planned Parenthood affiliates. |
| Lila Rose Kaplan is an American playwright based in Somerville, Massachusetts, known for fellowships with the Huntington Theatre Company and New Repertory Theatre in the 2010s. |
| Polish-born American physician Lila Amdurska Wallis, the only US doctor triple board-certified in internal medicine, hematology, and endocrinology, pioneered safer gynecologic exams adopted nationwide and founded the National Council on Women’s Health, creating Cornell’s Office of Women in Medicine in 1982. |
| Lila Cockrell - Lila May Banks Cockrell was an American politician who twice served as mayor of San Antonio, was a WWII Navy WAVES veteran, and led the Dallas and San Antonio chapters of the League of Women Voters in the 1950s. |
| Lila Garrett was an American TV screenwriter and radio host who wrote for sitcoms including My Favorite Martian, All in the Family, Bewitched, and The Second Hundred Years, and co-wrote the 1971 Disney TV movie The Barefoot Executive. |
| Lila Althea Fenwick was an American lawyer and human rights advocate, the first Black woman to graduate from Harvard Law School and a United Nations official. |
| Lila Manfield Sapinsley was an American politician. |
| Anna Fredrikke Lila Lykke-Seest was a Norwegian actress and writer. |
| Lila Avilés - Lila Aviles is a Mexican filmmaker and actress. |
| Lila Karp was an American feminist author, teacher, activist, and psychotherapist best known for the 1969 novel The Queen Is in the Garbage, who spent a decade in London before moving to New York, joining The Feminists, and appearing in the 1977 documentary Some American Feminists. |
| English model Lila Grace Moss Hack debuted for Miu Miu at Paris Fashion Week in 2021, appeared in several editions of Vogue, and received Models.com Model of the Year nominations in 2020 and 2021 plus a 2022 Fashion Awards nomination. |
| Lila Devi was an Indian National Congress politician who represented Himachal Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha. |
| Lila Lalauni was a Greek pianist and composer who performed widely in Greece and across Europe and was the first to teach the Symphonic Concerto for piano and orchestra by Manolis Kalomiris. |
