Lila
Say it: LY-la
Girl4 letters2 syllables
#273
in Ireland (2025)
#276 with spellings combined
15
babies in 2025
#276
best rank (2025)
195
babies since 2003
Up 221
10-year rank change
Lila through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #276 |
| 2024 | 11 | #341 |
| 2023 | 10 | #358 |
| 2022 | 12 | #338 |
| 2021 | 14 | #301 |
| 2020 | 9 | #407 |
| 2019 | 15 | #296 |
| 2018 | 12 | #358 |
| 2017 | 14 | #316 |
| 2016 | 10 | #422 |
| 2015 | 8 | #497 |
| 2014 | 10 | #430 |
| 2013 | 6 | #590 |
| 2012 | 11 | #416 |
| 2011 | 11 | #418 |
| 2010 | 4 | #758 |
| 2009 | 6 | #583 |
| 2008 | 3 | #860 |
| 2007 | 4 | #704 |
| 2006 | 4 | #634 |
| 2005 | 3 | #690 |
| 2003 | 3 | #655 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Lila mean?
Uncertain; several possible sources
Uncertain; linked with Leila and Lilah, with Spanish lila (lilac) and with Sanskrit lila (play).
Say it right
LYla
LEE-la is also common, especially in families who link it with Leila or the Sanskrit word.
The story of Lila
Lila has more than one possible source, and families choose it for different reasons. In English it is treated as a form of Leila or Lilah, depending on how it is said. The Spanish word lila means lilac, and in India Lila is a separate name from a Sanskrit word meaning play or charm. It also sits close to Lily, though it is not a form of it.
In Ireland it first reached the CSO list in 2003. It has risen gently since, with 15 babies in 2019 and again in 2025, when it reached its best rank so far at number 276 in 2025.
It is more popular in Northern Ireland, where 15 girls were named Lila in 2025, putting it at number 132 in 2025. The CSO counts Lila, Lilah and Lyla as separate names, so each has its own page here.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Lila (English proper noun)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Lila | 15 | 195 |
In Northern Ireland
#132 in 2025 with 15 babies. Best rank #132 (2025); 127 babies since 2007.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.