Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Leigha

Leigha is a modern American form of Leah. Leah is a Hebrew name borne from the Bible as Jacob’s first wife. She is also remembered as the older sister of Rachel (Genesis 29:1-30). The name means “languid, relaxed, weary”. As we learn in the first book of the Old Testament (Genesis), Jacob falls in love with Rachel, Leah’s younger (and more beautiful) sister. In exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage, Jacob must first avail himself to seven years of servitude to Laban (Leah and Rachel’s father). At the end of the obligatory seven years, however, Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah by switching the sisters at the altar. As Laban explained: “It is not our custom to give the younger before the firstborn” (Genesis 29:26). All’s well that ends well, however, when Jacob wins Rachel after another seven years of labor (in Biblical times, having more than one wife was not atypical). The only physical description of Leah 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 her barren sister, 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. Most parents opt for the Hebrew/Biblical spelling of Leah. Germans and Scandinavians use Lea without the “h” on the end. Leia is the Biblical Greek form and Lia is the Biblical Latin form. Leigha is um, like, totally, like American.

All About the Baby Name – Leigha

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME LEIGHA

Romance is the hallmark of the Six personality. They exude nurturing, loving, and caring energy. Sixes are in love with the idea of love in its idealized form - and with their magnetic personalities, they easily draw people toward them. Like the number Two personality, they seek balance and harmony in their life and the world at large. They are conscientious and service-oriented, and a champion for the underdog. These personalities naturally attract money and are usually surrounded by lovely material objects - but their human relationships are always primary. They thrive in giving back to others rather than being motivated by their own desires. This is when they achieve great things. Sixes are natural teachers, ministers and counselors.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME LEIGHA

Leigh has always been a flashy, fanciful and feminine way to spell Lee in America. Just consider other “leigh” names like Aleigha, Charleigh, Bryleigh, Hayleigh, Kayleigh, Marleigh and Ryleigh (and that’s just a sampling). Obnoxious? Perhaps to some. But trust us when we say this ever-so-precious “leigh” trend is quite stylish in some circles. Leigha is one of the latest entrants onto America’s Top 1000 list of baby girl names currently in circulation. She hasn’t been around long enough to assess her staying power, but there are now five different ways you can spell Leah (if you like this name). Leigha is obviously the most modern (and the least preferred), but there is one caveat. Girls named Leigha will find themselves repeating the following phrase in perpetuity: “My name is Leigha. That’s Leah but spelled L-E-I-G-H-A.” Is the hassle worth it?

Quick Facts

ON LEIGHA

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

American

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

966

PRONUNCIATION:

LEE-ah

SIMPLE MEANING:

Languid, relaxed, weary

Characteristics

OF LEIGHA

Humanitarian

Community-minded

Family-oriented

Loving

Affectionate

Compassionate

Sensitive

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Leigha

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME LEIGHA

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Leigha

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME LEIGHA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Leigha


Popular Songs

ON LEIGHA

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Leigha


Famous People

NAMED LEIGHA

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

Children of Famous People

NAMED LEIGHA

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

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME LEIGHA

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