Entry № 3381 · French origin

Léa Léa — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ LAY-ah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
French
Meaning
"Weary; lioness"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Ancient (Hebrew Bible)

A name that means "weary; lioness".

Léa is the French form of Leah — from the Hebrew Lēʾāh, traditionally translated as "weary" (referring to Leah's role in Genesis as the unwanted first wife of Jacob) but with possible Akkadian roots meaning "lioness" or "wild cow." Modern Hebrew scholarship favours the lioness reading.

Léa has been the most popular girl's name in France for over a decade, in the top 5 since 2003. The actress Léa Seydoux is a famous bearer. The original French spelling Léa with the acute accent is the formal version; the English Leah is more common in Anglophone countries.

Lioness, in older readings. The most popular name in France for a generation.

The name in its native script.

לֵאָה
Transliteration
Lēʾāh
Pronunciation
/ ˈleɪ.ə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Léa stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 0 in 0
Babies named Léa · last year
287 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
0
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · — NOW · —

Léas before her.

Real people
Léa Seydoux
French actress, known for Blue Is the Warmest Colour and the James Bond films.
born 1985
In fiction
Leah
First wife of Jacob in Genesis.
Hebrew Bible

Names connected to Léa.

The number behind Léa.

6

The Nurturer

Léa reduces to six — the number of warm grace.

Why families chose this name.

"Two letters in the French spelling. A whole biblical history."
Camille · Mother of one · Paris