Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Leia

Leia is the ancient Biblical Greek spelling of Leah (Λεια), a name borne from the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament as the elder sister of Rachel and the first wife of Jacob (Genesis 29:1-30). Her name means “languid, relaxed” in Hebrew. In the Bible, Jacob falls in love with Rachel, Leah’s younger (and more beautiful) sister; and so offers the girls’ father, Laban, seven years of servitude in exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage. At the end of seven years, Laban tricks Jacob into marrying Leah first: “It is not our custom to give the younger before the firstborn” says Laban to Jacob in Genesis 29:26. Fortunately for Jacob, in those days it was perfectly acceptable for a man to have more than one wife so later on (after another seven years of servitude) he finally gets his prize by marrying Rachel, too. The only physical description of Leah/Leia we get from the Bible is in Genesis 29:17: “Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.” While the Bible contrasts the beautiful Rachel with the “weak eyed” Leah, the Lord blesses Leah with more children (which really bothered Rachel). The name Leah has been a popular choice in the Jewish naming tradition; she is seen as a symbol of a fruitful marriage building up the tribes of Israel. The Puritans adopted the name Leah during the Reformation and it has since become just as widespread among Christians. In the Bible, Leah played second-fiddle to her more beautiful sister Rachel so the Puritans liked the name for its humility and modesty. Leia was the spelling used by the ancient Greeks when they transcribed the Bible from Hebrew long ago. Aside from Leia’s connection to the Old Testament, the name is also notable from a pop-culture perspective, as in George Lucas’s Star Wars Trilogy heroine, the indomitable Princess Leia. Today the name Leia is most popular in the country of Sweden, but it is also used with occasional frequency in the United States and France.

All About the Baby Name – Leia

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME LEIA

The number Nine personality represents the completion or ending of the cycle, and a need for perfection. This is the personality that moves from "self" to a greater understanding and compassion for the human condition and the world order. They want to make the world a better place. Nines are capable of great spiritual and humanitarian achievements. They are courageous and fearless, able to fight great battles on behalf of worthy causes. These personalities will not tolerate injustice. They are compassionate people with a strong sensitivity to others. They are able to both educate and inspire. Friendships and relationships are the lifeblood to the Nine, and they place a high value on love and affection. Nines are often exceptionally gifted artistically, and they have a keen imagination and enterprising mind.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME LEIA

Not surprisingly, Leia first appeared on the U.S. female naming charts in 1978. This was the year following the release of the first Star Wars movie: Episode IV, A New Hope (1977) which featured a fresh, new film heroine named Princess Leia. Star Wars was an unprecedented blockbuster in the country, seen by millions, and Princess Leia was an idealized female figure – petite, feisty, brave and driven. She was a woman warrior in every sense of the word, and an object of fantasy for the late 70s and early 80s teenage boy. Although Leia became a household name, she still debuted low on the charts and would fade away after 1980. The name recently reappeared on the Top 1000 list in 2006 and is now seeing slightly better engagement; still Leia remains a fairly uncommon name choice (while Leah is ranked very high in the U.S.).

Quick Facts

ON LEIA

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

Greek

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

571

PRONUNCIATION:

LEE-ah or LAY-ah

SIMPLE MEANING:

Languid, relaxed

Characteristics

OF LEIA

Multi-talented

Intuitive

Oneness

Idealistic

Philanthropy

Independent

Perfection

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Leia

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME LEIA

Princess Leia is the famous girl with the bagel braids from George Lucas’ iconic Star Wars series of sci-fi movies beginning in 1977. Any mother would be proud to have her daughter adopt Princess Leia’s character traits. Leia is strong, brave, resourceful and loyal. Oh, and she’s also a crack shot and a warrior woman, all while presenting a lovely and feminine demeanor. Not to mention that metallic bikini.

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME LEIA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Leia


Popular Songs

ON LEIA

Leia
a song by Sense Field [explicit]

Famous People

NAMED LEIA

We cannot find any celebrities or significantly famous people with the first name Leia.

Children of Famous People

NAMED LEIA

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Leia

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME LEIA

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Leia