Leila ( fa, لیلا, ar, ليلى, he, לילה) is a feminine

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

primarily in the

Semitic Semitic most commonly refers to the Semitic languages, a name used since the 1770s to refer to the language family currently present in West Asia, North and East Africa, and Malta. Semitic may also refer to: Religions * Abrahamic religions ** ...

(Arabic, Hebrew) and Iranian languages. In Latin alphabet the name is commonly spelled in multiple ways, including Laela, Laelah, Laila, Layla, Laylah, Leila, Leilah, Leela, Leighla, Lejla, Leyla and Leylah. () in Aramaic, () in Hebrew, () or () in Arabic, and () in Syriac. In Hebrew and Arabic the word Leila or Laila means "night", "dark" and the name is often given to girls born during the night, signifying "daughter of the night". The story of '' Qays and Layla'' or ''Layla and Majnun'' is based on the romantic poems of Qais Ibn Al-Mulawwah ( ar, links=no, قيس بن الملوح) in 7th century Arabia, who was nicknamed Majnoon Layla (), Arabic for "madly in love with Layla", referring to his cousin Layla Al-Amiriah (). His poems are considered the paragon of unrequited chaste love. They later became a popular romance in medieval Iran, and use of the name spread accordingly. The name gained popularity further afield in the

Persianate world Greater Iran ( fa, ایران بزرگ, translit=Irān-e Bozorg) refers to a region covering parts of Western Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, Xinjiang, and the Caucasus, where both Iranian culture and Iranian languages have had a s ...

, amongst Turkic peoples and in the Balkans and India. In the

Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; literal translation, lit. 'the North') are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It includes the sovereign states of Denmar ...

, Laila or Lajla is derived from the Sami name ''Láilá'', the Sami variant of Helga which means "holy".

People with this name

Laila

Laila Akhmetova Laila Seysembekovna Akhmetova (born 12 February 1954) is a Kazakh doctor of historical sciences, professor of politology of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, writer and research of participants in the World War II. Current activity Ak ...

, Kazakh doctor of historical sciences * Laila Ali, boxer and daughter of

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...

* Laila Ali Abdulla, First Lady of the Maldives * Laila Bagge, Swedish manager and songwriter *

Laila Bērziņa Laila Bērziņa (born 1965) is a Latvian politician who is a deputy of Līgatne City Council belonging to the New Era Party The New Era Party ( lv, Jaunais laiks, JL) was a centre-right political party in Latvia. Founded in 2002, the party ...

(born 1965), Latvian politician *

Laila Bjurling Laila Bjurling (born 1947) is a Swedish social democratic politician who has been a member of the Riksdag since 1995. External linksLaila Bjurlingat the Riksdag The Riksdag (, ; also sv, riksdagen or ''Sveriges riksdag'' ) is the legis ...

(born 1947), Swedish politician * Laila Freivalds, Swedish Social-Democrat * Laila Harré, New Zealand politician *

Laila Hirvisaari Laila Ellen Kaarina Hirvisaari (7 June 1938 – 16 June 2021), also known as Laila Hietamies, was a Finnish author and writer. By 2008, more than four million copies of her works had been sold.(30 September 2008)Laila Hirvisaaren teoksia myyty yl ...

, Finnish author and writer *Laila El Khalifi (better known as

Leila K Laila El Khalifi ( ar, ليلى الخليفي; born 6 September 1971) better known by her stage name Leila K, is a Swedish Eurodance singer and rapper of Moroccan descent. Early life El Khalifi's parents decided to send her to a school in Mor ...

), Swedish singer and rapper * Laila Kinnunen, Finnish singer * Laila Lalami, Moroccan-American novelist and essayist * Laila Mehdin, Indian actress * Laila Morse, English actress * Laila Pakalniņa, Latvian director * Laila Rouass, English actress *

Laila Soueif Leila ( fa, لیلا, ar, ليلى, he, לילה) is a feminine given name primarily in the Semitic (Arabic, Hebrew) and Iranian languages. In Latin alphabet the name is commonly spelled in multiple ways, including Laela, Laelah, Laila, La ...

, Egyptian human and women's rights activist *

Laila Stien Laila Stien (born 16 May 1946 in Hemnes, Helgeland) is a Norwegian novelist, poet, author of children's literature and translator from Hemnes. She grew up in Rana and later lived in Finnmark. Stien made her literary debut in 1979 with the short ...

, Norwegian writer * Laila Wasti, Pakistani actress and director *

Laila Woozeer Laila Woozeer is a British author, performer, musician, and activist. Woozeer's 2022 book, ''Not Quite White'' (published by Simon & Schuster) is a memoir described as "primarily focused on mixed-race identity and also looking at representation, ...

, British author and activist * DJ Laila, Filipino radio and television presenter

Layla

Layla al-Akhyaliyya Layla bint Abullah ibn Shaddad ibn Ka’b al-Akhyaliyyah () (d. c. AH 75/694×90/709 CE), or simply Layla al-Akhyaliyyah () was a famous Umayyad Arab poet who was renowned for her poetry, eloquence, strong personality, and beauty. Nearly fifty of h ...

, 8th century AD Umayyad Arab poet *

Layla Balabakki Layla Balabakki (also Leila/Laila/ Baalbaki/Baalbakki/Balabaki, ar, ليلى بعلبكي) is a Lebanese novelist, journalist, activist, and feminist. Among her most notable works is '' Ana Ahya (I Live)'' (1958) which tells the story of a woman' ...

(born 1936), Lebanese writer and activist * Layla El (born 1977), British wrestler, dancer, model, actress, and entrepreneur * Layla Handbury (born 1982), Australian MC *

Layla Iskandar Layla Pascal "Lili" Iskandar ( ar, ليلى باسكال "ليلي" اسكندر; born 16 May 2002) is a Lebanese Women's association football, footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Jordanian club Etihad Club, Etihad and the Leban ...

(born 2002), Lebanese footballer * Layla Kayleigh (born 1986), G4 host on the US television program, Attack of the Show! *

Layla Kaylif Layla Kaylif is a Singer, songwriter and filmmaker. She was born in Dubai, to an Arab father and an English mother. She began her musical career in 1999, when she released her first album Enough Rope. In 2015, she won the IWC filmmaker award at th ...

(born 1971), British Emirati singer * Layla McCarter (born 1979), American boxer * Layla Moran (born 1982), British Liberal Democrat politician *

Layla Palmer Amity Lane is a four-piece American alternative rock group from Montgomery, Alabama. The band features two former members from the gold-selling music group Trust Company, vocalist Kevin Palmer and bassist Josh Moates. History Amity Lane was f ...

, singer and keyboardist for the band

Amity Lane Amity Lane is a four-piece American alternative rock group from Montgomery, Alabama. The band features two former members from the gold-selling music group Trust Company, vocalist Kevin Palmer and bassist Josh Moates. History Amity Lane was f ...

* Layla Taj, Egyptian dancer

Leila

Leila Aboulela Leila Fuad Aboulela (Arabic:ليلى فؤاد ابوالعلا; born 1964) is a fiction writer, essayist, and playwright of Sudanese origin based in Aberdeen, Scotland. She grew up in Khartoum, Sudan, and moved to Scotland in 1990 where she be ...

, Sudanese writer * Leila Ahmed, Egyptian-American professor * Leila Anderson, South African performance artist * Leïla Ben Ali, Tunisian political figure * Leila Arab, London-based musician of Persian descent *

Leila Barros Leila Gomes de Barros (born September 30, 1971) is a Brazilian politician and a former volleyball player. She often played as opposite hitter and attacker. She was a member of the Brazilian squad who had great success in the late 1990s and early ...

, Brazilian volleyball player *

Leila Bela Leila Bela ( fa, ليلا بلا ) (born in Tehran, Iran) is an Iranian-born American avant-garde musician, writer, photographer, actress, multi-instrumentalist, playwright, and recording artist from Austin, Texas. Early life and education Bel ...

, Iranian-American musician, actress and writer *

Leïla Chaibi Leïla Chaibi (born 5 October 1982) is a French politician of Tunisian origin who was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2019. Early life and education Leïla Chaibi graduated from the Institute of Political Studies of Toulous ...

, French politician *

Leila de Lima Leila Norma Eulalia Josefa Magistrado de Lima (born August 27, 1959) is a Filipina politician, lawyer, human rights activist and law professor who previously served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. She was the chairperson of ...

, Filipino human rights activist * Leila Denmark, American pediatrician * Leila Forouhar, Iranian singer and actress * Leila Ben-Gacem, Tunisian social entrepreneur *

Leila Goldkuhl Leila Marie Goldkuhl Masterson ( ; born December 30, 1991) is an American fashion model. She is known for competing on ''America's Next Top Model, Cycle 19'', becoming the last eliminated overall. Early life and education Goldkuhl was born on D ...

, American model, contestant on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 19 * Leila Hatami, Iranian actress *

Leila Hayes Leila Hayes is an Australians, Australian actress, actors agent, radio presenter, playwright, theatre producer, producer, singer and drama teacher, she featured in the hit 1980s soap opera ''Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series), Sons and ...

, Australian actress * Leila Hyams, American film actress *

Leïla Jaffel Leïla Jaffel (''Arabic'' ليلى جفال) (born 29 August 1960) is a Tunisian magistrate and politician serving as minister of justice in the Bouden Cabinet since 2021. She was Minister of State Domains and Land Affairs in the Mechichi Cabine ...

, Tunisian politician and jurist *

Leila Josefowicz Leila Bronia Josefowicz ( ; born October 20, 1977) is an American-Canadian classical violinist. Biography Josefowicz was born in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. When she was a young child her family moved to Los Angeles, California, where she sta ...

, American violinist *

(born Laila El Khalifi), Swedish singer and rapper * Leila Kasra, Iranian poet and lyricist * Leila Khaled, Palestinian hijacker and PFLP member *

Leila Lopes (pageant titleholder) Leila Luliana da Costa Vieira Lopes Umenyiora (born 26 February 1986) is an Angolan model and beauty queen best known for having been crowned Miss Universe 2011. She had previously won Miss Angola UK 2010 and Miss Angola 2010. Early life Lop ...

, Miss Universe 2011 from Angola *

Leila Luik Leila Luik (born 14 October 1985) is an Estonian long-distance runner. She completed the Shanghai marathon with her personal best 2:37:11 in 2013. She qualified to the Rio Olympics 2016 running the Hamburg marathon in 2:42:11. She is one of id ...

(born 1985), Estonian long-distance runner * Leila Mardanshina, Soviet and Russian gas and oil operator * Leila McKinnon, Iranian-Australian journalist * Lelia N. Morris (18621929), American hymnwriter * Leila Mourad, Egyptian singer and movie star *Leila Movarekhi, Iranian Princess of

Qajar dynasty The Qajar dynasty (; fa, دودمان قاجار ', az, Qacarlar ) was an IranianAbbas Amanat, ''The Pivot of the Universe: Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar and the Iranian Monarchy, 1831–1896'', I. B. Tauris, pp 2–3 royal dynasty of Turkic peoples ...

* Leila Pahlavi, Princess of Iran *

Leila Säälik Leila Säälik (born 4 December 1941) is an Estonian stage, film and radio actress. Early life and education Leila Säälik was born in Tallinn. Her father was a machinist and her mother was a seamstress. She attended primary and secondary schoo ...

(born 1941), Estonian actress * Leïla Slimani (born 1981), French-Moroccan writer and journalist * Leila Sobral, Brazilian basketball player * Leila Al Solh, Lebanese public figure * Leila Tong, Hong Kong actress and singer *

Leila Vaziri Leila Vaziri ( fa, لیلا وزیری, born June 6, 1985) is an American competition swimmer, the 2007 world champion, and a former world record-holder in the 50-meter backstroke. Swimming career Collegiate career Vaziri attended Indiana Univer ...

, Iranian-American swimmer, world record holder * Leila Waddell, mistress of British occultist Aleister Crowley

Leilah

Leilah Assunção Leilah Assunção, or Leilah Assumpção (born Maria de Lourdes Torres de Assunção), is a Brazilian dramatist, actress and writer. Biography She was born June 18, 1943, in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. She graduated from the University of S� ...

, British dramatist, actress and writer *

Leilah Mahi Leïlah Mahi (September 1890, Beyrouth, Lebanon – 12 August 1932, Paris) was a French writer. Her first work, ''En Marge du Bonheur'' (''On the Margins of Happiness''), was published in 1929. Her second book, ''La Prêtresse sans Dieu'' (''Th ...

(1890–1932), French writer *

Leilah Nadir Leilah Nadir is a Canadian novelist and writer. Biography She was born to an Iraqi father and an English mother, and she was raised in Britain and Canada. Nadir holds a master's degree in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh, and ...

, Canadian writer *

Leilah Weinraub Leilah Weinraub (born 1979) is an American filmmaker, conceptual artist, and the former chief executive officer of the fashion brand Hood By Air. In 2018 she was named a Sundance Institute Art of Nonfiction Fellow. Biography Weinraub was born i ...

(born 1979), American filmmaker and conceptual artist

Lejla

Lejla Agolli Lejla Agolli (born 4 October 1950) is an Albanians, Albanian composer. Early life Agolli was born in Korçë, Albania. Education Agolli studied composition and orchestration in Tiranassa Tish Daijan. Career Agolli was winner of the Natio ...

(born 1950), Albanian composer * Lejla Basic (born 1994), Swedish footballer * Lejla Hot (born 1986), Serbian pop singer, musician, and songwriter * Lejla Kalamujić, queer writer from Bosnia and Herzegovina * Lejla Tanović (born 1994), Bosnian mountain bike racer

Leyla

* Leyla Achba, princess at the Ottoman Empire court *

Leyla Bağcı Leyla Firdevs Bağcı (born February 6, 1990) is a Turks in the Netherlands, Turkish-Dutch women's soccer, women's football goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper. She played in the Netherlands and Belgium, and was part of the Turkey women ...

(born 1990), Turkish-Dutch footballer * Leyla Chihuán, Peruvian volleyball player * Leyla Gencer, Turkish soprano opera singer *

Leyla Güngör Leyla Güngör (born May 29, 1993) is a Turkish international women's footballer who plays as a defender in the Swedish Damallsvenskan for FC Rosengård. She is a member of the Turkish national team. Early life Leyla Güngör was born on May ...

(born 1993), Turkish-Swedish footballer *

Leyla Mamedbekova Leyla Huseynagha qizi Mammadbeyova ( az, Leyla Məmmədbəyova; May 12, 1922 – May 23, 2006) was an Azerbaijani and Soviet scientist, pathologist Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''patholog ...

, Azerbaijani pathologist *

Leyla Mammadbeyova Leyla Alasgar gizi Mammadbeyova, née Zeynalova''Conquering the Skies''. Baku Magazine, #2 (22), March–April 2011; p. 72. ( Azerbaijani: ''Leyla Ələsgər qızı Məmmədbəyova''; 17 September 1909 – 4 July 1989), was the first Azerbaijani ...

, the first female Azerbaijani aviator * Leyla Milani, Canadian model of Iranian descent *

Leyla Neyzi Leyla Neyzi (born July 29, 1961) is a Turkish academic (anthropologist/sociologist/historian) who is currently working in Sabancı University, Istanbul. Biography Leyla Neyzi was born in Istanbul, Turkey, the daughter of Ali H. Neyzi, a busines ...

, Turkish academic * Leyla Pınar, Turkish harpsichordist and musicologist *

Leyla Qasim Leyla Qasim ( ku, Leyla Qasim ,لەیلا قاسم; 1952 – 12 May 1974) was a Feyli (tribe), Feyli Kurdish people, Kurdish activist against the Iraqi Ba'ath regime who was executed in Baghdad. She is known as a national martyr among the Kurds ...

, Kurdish activist in Iraq * Leyla Saz, composer, poet and writer of Cretan Turkish descent * Leyla Soleymani, Canadian scientist *

Leyla Tuğutlu Leila ( fa, لیلا, ar, ليلى, he, לילה) is a feminine given name primarily in the Semitic (Arabic, Hebrew) and Iranian languages. In Latin alphabet the name is commonly spelled in multiple ways, including Laela, Laelah, Laila, La ...

, Turkish beauty queen *

Leyla Vakilova Leyla Mahad qizi Vakilova ( az, Leyla Vəkilova) (27 January 1927, Baku – 21 February 1999, Baku) was a Soviet and Azerbaijani ballerina and ballet instructor. Career Leyla Vakilova was born in Baku, Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet ...

, Azerbaijani ballerina * Leyla Zana, Kurdish politician from Turkey

Leylah

Leylah Alliët Leylah Alliët (born 15 September 1991 in Belgium) is a Belgian beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned as 1st runner up in Miss Belgium 2015 and also crowned Miss World Belgium 2015 and represented her country at the Miss World 2015. Early ...

(born 1991), Belgian beauty pageant titleholder * Leylah Fernandez (born 2002), Canadian tennis player

Film, music and literature

* ''Laila'', Norwegian silent film starring Mona Mårtenson * ''Laila'' (album), album by Shahin Badar *'' Layla'', song by Derek and the Dominos * ''Leila'', song by Indochine in the album L'aventurier * ''Leila'', song by Miami Horror in the EP The Shapes *"Leila," an essay by Margaret Fuller *" Lejla", a song by Hari Mata Hari, Bosnia and Herzegovina's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 (3rd place)

Fictional and mythological characters

Lailah Lailah ( Heb. לַיְלָה, ''Laylāh;'' Meaning: "Night") is an angel in some interpretations in the Talmud and in some later Jewish mythology, associated with the night, as well as conception and pregnancy. Etymology "Lailah" is the same as ...

, an angel of the night in Jewish mythology *Layla in the classic Arabic love story '' Layla and Majnun'' *Leïla, heroine of Bizet's opera ''Les Pecheurs de Perles'' ('' The Pearl Fishers''), 1863 *Layla in the 1st Story Maxi CD 「Seisen no Iberia / 聖戦のイベリア」 of Sound Horizon * Layla in the animated series ''

Winx Club ''Winx Club'' is an animated series co-produced by Rainbow S.p.A., Rainbow SpA and later Nickelodeon. It was created by Italian animator Iginio Straffi. The show is set in a magical universe that is inhabited by fairies, witches, and other myth ...

'' * Layla Hamilton in the Japanese manga series '' Kaleido Star'' *Layla Heartfilia in the Japanese manga series '' Fairy Tail'' * Leyla Harding in the British soap opera '' Emmerdale'' *

Layla Miller Layla Rose Miller, also known as Butterfly, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in '' House of M'' #4 (Sept 2005), and was created by Brian Michael Bendis and Olivier Coipel. Peter David has develop ...

in the

Marvel universe The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of ...

*Layla, from series 3-5 of '' The Story of Tracy Beaker'', portrayed by Cara Readle * Layla Serizawa in the Japanese manga series ''NANA'' * Layla in the Japanese manga

Black Butler is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yana Toboso. It has been serialized in Square Enix's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Monthly GFantasy'' since September 2006. The series follows Ciel Phantomhive, the twelve-year-old Ea ...

/ Kuroshitsuji, first introduced in chapter 172 *Layla, a playable Cryo character in '' Genshin Impact'' * Leela ''(Doctor Who)'', a companion of the Fourth Doctor (1977–78) * Leela Lomax, a character in soap opera '' Hollyoaks'' * Leela in the animated TV show ''

Futurama ''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years a ...

'' *Leila, a playable character in '' Final Fantasy II'' * Layla Prismriver, a character briefly mentioned in the Japanese doujin game series (shoot 'em up)

Touhou Project The , also known simply as , is a bullet hell shoot 'em up video game series created by one-man independent Japanese ''doujin'' soft developer Team Shanghai Alice. Since 1995, the team's member, Jun'ya "ZUN" Ōta, has independently developed ...

*Leila, a daughter of main character in video game by '' Saber Interactive'' '' Inversion'' *Leila Hosnani, mother of Nessim (and Narouz) Hosnani, in Lawrence Durrell's '' The Alexandria Quartet'' *Leila Kwan Zimmer, a character in the Netflix series '' Grand Army'' *Lilah Morgan in '' Angel (1999 TV series)'' TV show *Leila Dalton, protagonist of the ''Night Prince'' novels by Jeaniene Frost *Laila, character portrayed by Sunny Leone in item song " Laila Main Laila" from Raees *Layla M. Luzhkova in the Japanese anime series ''

Sakura Wars the Animation ''Sakura Wars: The Animation'' is a Japanese anime television series directed by Manabu Ono, written by Ono and Tatsuhiko Urahata, and animated by Sanzigen. Co-produced by Sega, Sammy and Tencent Japan, under the name SAKURA PROJECT, it is ba ...

'' * Lyla Garrity in the television series '' Friday Night Lights'' *Layla Hassan, character in Assassins Creed

Assassin's Creed ''Assassin's Creed'' is an open-world, action-adventure, and stealth game franchise published by Ubisoft and developed mainly by its studio Ubisoft Montreal using the game engine Anvil and its more advanced derivatives. Created by Patrice D ...

video game series *Layla El-Faouly / Scarlet Scarab in the Marvel Cinematic Universe TV show ''

Moon Knight Moon Knight is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, the character first appeared in ''Werewolf by Night'' #32 (August 1975). The son of a rabb ...

'' *Laila Lewin in the book series '' The Wheel of Time'' *Leyla Sancak in '' The Protector (Turkish TV series)''

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leila (Name) Arabic feminine given names English feminine given names Estonian feminine given names Hebrew feminine given names Iranian feminine given names de:Laila fr:Leila fi:Laila sv:Laila