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Comments and insights on the name Leah

I have a good friend and also a cousin with this name. They both pronounce it LEE-a, but people who don't know them sometimes pronounce it "LEE" or "LAY-a" at first. My friend Leah gets annoyed when she constantly has to correct people on how her name is pronounced (my cousin Leah is too young to have an opinion yet). I think Leah is a really pretty name, but if you're considering it, just keep in mind that it will probably get mispronounced.

My name is Leah, born 1979, I like to tell people that my mom wanted to name me Leia, after the Princess, but chickened out. I also like reminding people that it's right out of the Old Testament, in Genesis even, but her story is not flattering. In the story she is the mother of many of the 12 sons that founded the 12 states of ancient Israel, but her husband, Jacob, had been tricked into marrying her. He worked for 7 years to get Leah's sister, Rachael's, hand in marriage, but their dad pulled a switcheroo on the night of the wedding, and he married Leah. Then the father told Jacob he had to work another 7 years to get Rachael too, which he did. The story indicated that Leah had "weak eyes" and that was one of the reasons she had not been chosen first by Jacob. But the story says that God blessed Leah with many sons because she had not been favored by her husband. Rachael only had one. My ex-husband cheated on me with a Rachael. She then had one son. I always thought that was ironic.

I named my 8 week old puppy Lia and I am somewhat of a princess, but when my sister jokingly referred to her as 'Princess Lia', I shut that down immediately. I used the latin spelling because it is phonetic.

Leah and Hale are anagrams of each other; they contain the same letters.
^^So is Heal.

I'm a Leah in my late 20's and it wasn't a common name growing up, so never a nuisance. What IS a nuisance is people thinking it's pronounced "Lee." I'm actually surprised when strangers get it right. I love my name, though (my mom wanted to name me Dorkus so I'm extra thankful). All the Leahs I've known, including myself, are quirky.
^^stuck up. quirky ppl don't say that they are quirky lol b----. >:D
^^^Quirky people who are quirky and own it do. And owning your quirkiness does not make you stuck up, but judging people people does.

My name is Leah, and I love it. It isn't way long or frilly, but it is still distinct and feminine. There is really no wrong way to pronounce it, you just pick between the hebrew heritage (Lai ah) or the more american (Lee ah my name).

I don't know why but I never quite liked this name. There's just something about it. It sounds so whiny- Leeeeee-aaaaaah. The eeah sound is just...eh..

I agree with you. It's always sounded kinda prissy and high-maintenance to me.

It's pronounced LAY-ah.

Personal experiences with the name Leah

I love the name! The only part I don't like is that it's pronounced Lee-ah and everyone always says Lay-ah! But it's a beautiful name I enjoy it! :) No one I know has the name! It's not common where I'm from, so it's awesome and original!

Our niece Leah (born 1980) is often asked if she was named after the Star Wars character Princess Leia.

I'm a Leah in her 20's, and throughout my school-years my name was often mispronounced by teachers. They usually tried to pronounce it "Lay-ah". But, I've always loved my name and the fact that I am usually the only "Leah" in the school or social setting.

I'm 15 (as of 2009) and live in New York. I know a ton of Leahs all of whom pronounce it Lee-ah, except for one who says LAY-ah. There are at least five in my school and I know even more outside of it, but I still love the name.

My younger (21 year old) sister's name is Leah, and she was the only Leah we've ever personally known. I love her name! Everyone in school could pronounce her name (probably because its a bible name and we went to Catholic school) but some people in later years have tried to pronounce it Lee...I don't see it personally. My parents used to sing the rock song Ah-Leeeeeaaaah to her all the time :)

Nicknames for Leah

Leelah, Leeder, Lee, Leanardo, Leaskee, Leelers, Leahaha, Laya, Lia Hamm(as in Mia Hamm), Lou Lou, Lee Lee, Leon, Leah Beah, Lezz, Lez, Lezza, Lezzy, LoLo, Lea, Leah Pia, Princess Leia, Leah Maria,lee, Weewa

Meanings and history of the name Leah

Hebrew la'a or le'ah meaning "weary, grieved, offended" http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Leah.html#.U3F8MvldVx0

Assyrian li'at meaning "mistress"

Old English leah meaning "open meadow" http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=lea

Also possibly meaning wild cow or gazelle.

Famous real-life people named Leah

Leah Burke- popular Scottish girl
Leah Gosselin, "Jon & Kate plus 8", 5th born of the Gosselin sextuplets
Leah Applebaum, American actress
Leah Ayres, American actress
Leah Cutter, American author
Leah Pipes, American actress, plays Camille O'Connell in The Originals
Leah Purcell, Australian actress
Leah Remini, American actress
Leah Ryan, American author
Leah Maher, American actress
Leah Dizon, American model and singer
Leah Haywood, Australian singer
Leah Krinsky, American comedy writer
Leah Leann Shirley, daughter of Gary Shirley & Amber Portwood on Teen Mom
Leah Wood, American born British singer who is the daughter of Rolling Stones band member Ronnie Wood and his wife Jo Wood

Leah in song, story & screen

Roy Orbison's song "Leah"
"My Beautiful Leah" is a song by PJ Harvey
Donnie Iris had a hit song "Ah! Leah!" in 1980.
Another Hit Song "Leah" by Stereo Skyline
Leah Brahms, fictional character from Star Trek
Leah Mordecai, title character of the 1856 novel by Belle K. Abbott
Leah Patterson-Baker, fictional character in Australian soap opera Home and Away
Leah Rose, fictional character in the Left Behind series
Leah Clearwater, fictional character in the "Twilight Series" by Stephenie Meyer
Leah, fictional character in the Angels Trilogy by Lurlene McDaniel
Leah, fictional character in "Juno" played by Olivia Thirlby.
Leah "fang" plenkov daughter of serial killer abel plenkov in my soul to take
Leah - Aplha female of the Seeonee pack of Indian wolves in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book - Mother to Mowgli.