Lela

#2,368 for girls in 2025, 76 births · Last seen for boys in 1938 at #3,175
Given to girls 99.8% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1896 · 425 births
Debut · girls
106 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
43,005
since 1880

Lela over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Lela has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201921peak #113, 1896girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#2,36876—
2024#2,20386—
2023#2,14289—
2022#1,961100—
2021#1,816111—
2020#1,808109—
2019#1,763116—
2018#1,554139—
2017#1,545142—
2016#1,512150—
2015#1,526147—
2014#1,471152—
2013#1,440156—
2012#1,322178—
2011#1,540142—
2010#1,536145—
2009#1,444161—
2008#1,486157—
2007#1,370176—
2006#1,462152—
2005#1,471143—
2004#1,498134—
2003#1,579122—
2002#1,720106—
2001#1,641111—
2000#1,533118—
1999#1,73892—
1998#2,24463—
1997#2,17463—
1996#1,89876—
1995#2,30957—
1994#2,43252—
1993#1,94272—
1992#2,31856—
1991#1,77980—
1990#1,86276—
1989#1,92567—
1988#1,86366—
1987#1,51984—
1986#1,58875—
1985#1,37394—
1984#1,34390—
1983#1,220104—
1982#1,34592—
1981#1,193110—
1980#1,47482—
1979#1,226106—
1978#1,194105—
1977#1,206101—
1976#1,21693—
1975#1,30185—
1974#1,143101—
1973#947127—
1972#1,079106—
1971#1,074112—
1970#961132—
1969#1,066106—
1968#893133—
1967#1,011103—
1966#897126—
1965#819147—
1964#811166—
1963#801168—
1962#814165—
1961#744195—
1960#786169—
1959#696207—
1958#673216—
1957#684209—
1956#620238—
1955#588244—
1954#562250—
1953#555248—
1952#514270—
1951#550234—
1950#493266—
1949#417356—
1948#444323—
1947#455323—
1946#445301—
1945#394326—
1944#390328—
1943#392344—
1942#365371—
1941#348355—
1940#352335—
1939#333359—
1938#320384#3,1756
1937#302418—
1936#301407—
1935#290427—
1934#284466#3,6795
1933#273510#3,2686
1932#275504—
1931#259558—
1930#259586#4,0015
1929#252631#3,9595
1928#243659#3,6976
1927#250682#4,2105
1926#244721—
1925#228818—
1924#223863—
1923#226816#3,8226
1922#220865#3,5327
1921#212907—
1920#218878—
1919#207898#3,7366
1918#209896#3,7286
1917#212828—
1916#199888—
1915#213774—
1914#202647—
1913#188595—
1912#184523—
1911#162489—
1910#161469—
1909#161414—
1908#161411—
1907#144453—
1906#137447—
1905#134465—
1904#135431—
1903#133420—
1902#125459—
1901#117443—
1900#122530—
1899#116417—
1898#115459—
1897#116438—
1896#113425—
1895#121388—
1894#113413—
1893#120358—
1892#124353—
1891#117337—
1890#127304—
1889#133268—
1888#126292—
1887#131207—
1886#122230#9595
1885#139168—
1884#119213—
1883#126163—
1882#126143—
1881#127125—
1880#141106—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Lela was already there! It came in at #141, and was given to 106 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1992–1998, when fewer than 77 girls a year got the name.

Where Lela is popular in 1921

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedNHWashington: #196 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 1,317 girlsWAIdaho: #196 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 904 girlsIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedMNIllinois: #181 for girls · 56 births · 1 in 1,091 girlsILWisconsin: #328 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,713 girlsWIMichigan: #230 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,873 girlsMINew York: #536 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 12,615 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedRIOregon: #180 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,028 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #225 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,364 girlsSDIowa: #179 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,087 girlsIAIndiana: #168 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 1,062 girlsINOhio: #210 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 1,675 girlsOHPennsylvania: #503 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 11,167 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #494 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 5,080 girlsCAUtah: #153 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 641 girlsUTColorado: #206 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 1,168 girlsCONebraska: #121 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 520 girlsNEMissouri: #136 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 672 girlsMOKentucky: #182 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 1,018 girlsKYWest Virginia: #203 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,196 girlsWVVirginia: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedNMKansas: #111 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 475 girlsKSArkansas: #119 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 446 girlsARTennessee: #139 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 618 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #154 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 811 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #209 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,350 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #107 for girls · 63 births · 1 in 418 girlsOKLouisiana: #217 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,019 girlsLAMississippi: #118 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 500 girlsMSAlabama: #122 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 480 girlsALGeorgia: #178 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 987 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Lela, so not publishedHITexas: #141 for girls · 97 births · 1 in 607 girlsTXFlorida: #226 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,258 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Oklahoma#107 · 1 in 418
  2. Kansas#111 · 1 in 475
  3. Mississippi#118 · 1 in 500
  4. Arkansas#119 · 1 in 446
  5. Nebraska#121 · 1 in 520

Best ever in a state: #70 in Mississippi, 1911.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Oklahoma#107631 in 418
Kansas#111371 in 475
Mississippi#118431 in 500
Arkansas#119471 in 446
Nebraska#121251 in 520
Alabama#122641 in 480
Missouri#136481 in 672
Tennessee#139461 in 618
Texas#141971 in 607
Utah#15381 in 641
North Carolina#154481 in 811
Indiana#168261 in 1,062
Georgia#178371 in 987
Iowa#179211 in 1,087
Oregon#18061 in 1,028
Illinois#181561 in 1,091
Kentucky#182311 in 1,018
Idaho#19651 in 904
Washington#19681 in 1,317
West Virginia#203171 in 1,196
Colorado#20681 in 1,168
South Carolina#209181 in 1,350
Ohio#210341 in 1,675
Louisiana#217231 in 1,019
South Dakota#22551 in 1,364
Florida#22691 in 1,258
Michigan#230211 in 1,873
Wisconsin#32871 in 3,713
California#49461 in 5,080
Pennsylvania#50391 in 11,167
New York#53681 in 12,615
Alaska———
Arizona———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
Vermont———
Virginia———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Lela
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 165 spots since 2024 (#2,203 → #2,368)
  • 560 spots since 2020 (#1,808 → #2,368)
  • 842 spots since 2015 (#1,526 → #2,368)
  • Biggest jump: 132 spots in 1973 (#1,079 → #947)
  • Biggest drop: 196 spots in 1974 (#947 → #1,143)
Rise & fade · girls
16 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1896 at #113 (425 births)
  • Births halved by 1957, 61 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 90 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 90 yrs · run 1880–1966
Share of babies · girls
1 in 535
  • Highest: 1 in 535 girls born in 1897 were named Lela (0.19%)
  • Latest: 1 in 21,148 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
  • Its best rank, #113 in 1896, was only 1 in 560 (0.18%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 18.2% of all girls named Lela (7,840) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s1,915#119 (1884)#129
1890s3,892#113 (1896)#118
1900s4,473#117 (1901)#137
1910s7,007#161 (1910)#194
1920s7,840#212 (1921)#232
1930s4,619#259 (1930)#290
1940s3,362#348 (1941)#400
1950s2,382#493 (1950)#594
1960s1,478#744 (1961)#864
1970s1,068#947 (1973)#1,135
1980s864#1,193 (1981)#1,484
1990s687#1,738 (1999)#2,070
2000s1,380#1,370 (2007)#1,520
2010s1,467#1,322 (2012)#1,521
2020s571#1,808 (2020)#2,050

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Lela in 1921

girls
#212
907 births · 1 in 1,359 girls

Top girls' names in 1921

  1. #1Mary73,984
  2. #2Dorothy39,087
  3. #3Helen34,822
  4. #4Margaret28,468
  5. #5Ruth25,783
  6. #6Virginia19,032
  7. #7Mildred17,880
  8. #8Betty17,638
  9. #9Frances15,993
  10. #10Elizabeth15,800
  11. #212Lela907
More about 1921

girls

1,233,058 girls got a published name in 1921; 1 in 1,359 of them was named Lela, which outranked 96.4% of the 5,871 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Lela
  1. #209Ollie912
  2. #210Melba910
  3. #211Johnnie909
  4. #212Lela907
  5. #213Lila894
  6. #214Sally891
  7. #215Adele890
Biggest movers since 1920
Risers
  1. ↑ 4,238Elwanda#4,975 → #737
  2. ↑ 458Noreen#1,255 → #797
  3. ↑ 440Venice#1,375 → #935
  4. ↑ 343Isobel#1,312 → #969
  5. ↑ 306Aida#1,119 → #813
Fallers
  1. ↓ 612Lilia#931 → #1,543
  2. ↓ 345Denise#931 → #1,276
  3. ↓ 330Aleen#968 → #1,298
  4. ↓ 269Virgil#968 → #1,237
  5. ↓ 265Aldona#903 → #1,168

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1921 →