Leelah: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	–	–	–
1980s	–	–	–	–
1990s	–	–	–	–
2000s	92	9	–	#7,352
2010s	255	26	+177%	#4,411
2020s (to 2025)	99	17	-35%	#6,120

Decade

Girls

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

1920s

–

1930s

–

1940s

–

1950s

–

1960s

–

1970s

–

1980s

–

1990s

–

2000s

–

#7,352

2010s

255

+177%

#4,411

2020s (to 2025)

-35%

#6,120

The story of Leelah

Leelah is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,238 in 2025 with 19 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 2000, 446 American babies have been named Leelah. Its peak came in 2018, when 32 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Leelah stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Leelah?

The median living Leelah is about 10 years old; half are between 6 and 15. An estimated 400 people named Leelah are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Leelah year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank
2025	19	#6,238
2024	18	#6,545
2023	16	#7,114
2022	20	#6,120
2021	13	#8,293
2020	13	#8,220
2019	21	#5,907
2018	32	#4,411
2017	30	#4,646
2016	27	#5,076
2015	23	#5,758
2014	28	#4,970
2013	26	#5,233
2012	24	#5,651
2011	18	#7,002
2010	26	#5,343
2009	14	#8,701
2008	17	#7,599
2007	15	#8,346
2006	17	#7,352
2005	5	#18,039
2004	8	#12,277
2003	6	#14,946
2002	–	–
2001	5	#16,820
2000	5	#16,475
1995	–	–
1990	–	–
1985	–	–
1980	–	–
1975	–	–
1970	–	–
1965	–	–
1960	–	–
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Leelah, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Leelah?

The median living Leelah is about 10 years old. Half of all living Leelahs are between 6 and 15 years old.

How many people named Leelah are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Leelah are alive in the United States, based on 446 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Leelah in 2025?

Leelah ranked #6,238 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 19 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Leelah?

446 babies have been named Leelah in the United States since 2000, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Leelah most popular?

Leelah peaked in 2018, when 32 newborns received the name.

Is Leelah a boy or girl name?

Leelah is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Leelah rising or falling?

Leelah is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Leelah

Leelah popularity over time

The story of Leelah

How old are people named Leelah?

Leelah year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Leelah