Lea

The female first name Lea has various meanings, depending on which origin theory one follows. Lea (also Leah) appears in the Bible as the older sister of Rachel and the first wife of Jacob.

What does the name Lea mean?

The female first name Lea has various meanings, depending on which origin theory one follows. Lea (also Leah) appears in the Bible as the older sister of Rachel and the first wife of Jacob. Their six sons are among the patriarchs of Israel. The meaning of the name Lea is usually traced back to the ancient Hebrew le'ah, which means 'the wild cow.' This theory is supported by the fact that many other biblical and Hebrew names from that time, such as Rachel (meaning 'the mother sheep'), are derived from animals. While the sons of the biblical Rachel were shepherds, the sons of Lea worked as cattle breeders. Folk etymologically, Lea is also associated with the meaning 'the weary one,' derived from the ancient Hebrew la'ah for 'to tire, to strive in vain.' Another possible origin of the name is Assyrian, where the name Lea means 'the ruler.' A completely different meaning for the name Lea comes from Latin. According to this, Lea can be seen as a short form of the Latin word leaena for 'lioness' as well as the feminine form of Leo. Thus, Lea means 'the lioness.' The first name Lea has been one of the most popular girls' names in Germany since the end of the 20th century. The spelling Leah, which is particularly common in English-speaking countries, is also becoming increasingly popular here. The French spelling is Léa.

Where does the name Lea come from?

The word origin of Lea is a female first name of Latin and ancient Hebrew origin with meanings such as 'the lioness' or 'the weary one' and others. Ancient Hebrew Assyrian Biblical Latin

How do you pronounce Lea?

Sound & pronunciation of Lea: The name Lea is pronounced as one syllable or two syllables and is soft. In German pronunciation, it is usually pronounced as 'Le-a' [ˈleːa], combining a bright, long initial syllable with an open ending. The clear vowel sequence gives the name simplicity and harmony. Lea appears modern and timeless - fine, calm, and present.

When is the name day of Lea?

Lea has her name day on March 22 in memory of Saint Lea of Rome, who is regarded in Christian belief as the mother of virgins and the patron saint of widows.

Popularity

In Germany, the first name Lea was predominantly ranked between Top 130 and Top 330 from the 1920s to the 1960s, and thus did not belong to the top group of the most popular girls' names for a long time. Especially in the 1950s and 1960s, it often ranked outside the Top 250 and was considered a rather rarely given first name for several decades. Starting in the 1970s and 1980s, a slow upward trend began.

Nicknames & pet names

Ela / Elena / Flea / Laea / Lala / Lale / Lara / Le / Leachen / Leagirly / Leaguan / Leaha / Leaki / Leale / LeaLeh / Lealein / Leali / Lealie / Lealinchen / Lealino / Leallyy / Lealu / Leander / Leanderthaler / Leandro / Leandrus / Leanski / Leanus / Leapea / Leara / Leariechen / Leaschky / Leasi / Leastheniker / Leatschka / Lechen / Lecker / Leckerli / Lee / Leechen / Leelein / Leer / Leha / Lehaar / Lehi / Lei / Leila / Lela / Lelali / Lele / Lelea / Lelein / Leli / Lelita / Lelle / Lelo / Lelosh / Lelu / Leluu / Lena / Lenchen / Lener / Leni / Leo / Leonore / Lep / Lerlelein / Lesa / Letschgen / Letschka / Letscho / Leuchen / Lewa / Lexi / Leyhey / Leyy / Lez / Leör / Li / Lia / Lil / Lila / Lillie / Lina / Lisa / Lota Luja / Luchs / Lumina / Läya / Lés / Lö / Löya / Lüya / Vollea

Similar first names

Famous people

• Carolina Lea de Haan (Dutch writer)
• Lea (character) (character from the animated film 'Tobias Totz and His Lion (1999)')
• Lea Ackermann (* 1937, German nun)
• Lea Ahlborn (1826–1897, Swedish artist)
• Lea Ann Miller (American figure skater)
• Lea Antonoplis-Inoye (American tennis player)
• Lea Bayers Rapp (American writer)
• Lea Davison (American cyclist)
• Lea de Mae (Czech actress)
• Lea DeLaria (American jazz musician)
• Lea Einfalt (Slovenian skier)
• Lea Eisleb (German actress)
• Lea Faßbender (actress from Germany)
• Lea Finn (singer-songwriter, real name Lena Charlotte Schütz)
• Lea Fleischmann (* 1947, Israeli writer)
• Lea Garcia (Brazilian actress)
• Lea Hammerschmidt (played by Luise Isabell Matejczyk in Köln 50667)
• Lea Hernandez (American cartoonist)
• Lea Jagodic (Slovenian basketball player)
• Lea Jakobsen (Danish racing rower)