Leah
/L-IY-AH/
Weary, wild cow, the matriarch whose unloved eyes saw more clearly than beauty ever could — Leah is the first wife of Jacob in Genesis, the older sister given in place of the younger Rachel. Though described as having weak eyes, she bore six of the twelve tribes of Israel. Her name carries the quiet triumph of the overlooked, the endurance of a woman whose worth was proven not by her face but by her extraordinary fruitfulness
See Leah scored for your familyQuick — what every parent wants to know about Leah:
Yes — Leah is a Jewish girl name of Hebrew origin, meaning “Weary, wild cow, the matriarch whose unloved eyes saw more clearly than beauty ever could — Leah is the first wife of Jacob in Genesis, the older sister given in place of the younger Rachel. Though described as having weak eyes, she bore six of the twelve tribes of Israel. Her name carries the quiet triumph of the overlooked, the endurance of a woman whose worth was proven not by her face but by her extraordinary fruitfulness”. It also appears in Christian tradition.
How well does Leah fit your family?
This page tells you what Leah means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against the names already in your family, your heritage, and your baby's exact birth star.
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Six signals — scored for your family, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Leah is a girl's name of Hebrew origin, traditionally used in Jewish families. The name means "Weary, wild cow, the matriarch whose unloved eyes saw more clearly than beauty ever could — Leah is the first wife of Jacob in Genesis, the older sister given in place of the younger Rachel. Though described as having weak eyes, she bore six of the twelve tribes of Israel. Her name carries the quiet triumph of the overlooked, the endurance of a woman whose worth was proven not by her face but by her extraordinary fruitfulness" and belongs to the Courage cluster — names for children who will grow into bold, fearless hearts.
Beyond its Jewish heritage, Leah is also used in Christian traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among American, European, MiddleEastern, Israeli families, Leah carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
What would a baby named Leah look like?
NameRoot imagines a one-of-a-kind AI baby portrait for every name, shaped by its heritage — the features, the colouring, the feeling a name like Leah carries. No two are alike.
See Leah's portrait — and its full score — the moment you open the app.
See Leah's baby portrait →What does Leah's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Leah resonates in either tradition.
Leah's destiny number is 8 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Leah's full reading →
Does Leah go with your family's names?
Leah breaks into 3 sounds: /L-IY-AH/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Leah sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Leah beside your family's names →
Names similar to Leah
If Leah resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Jewish girl names, common in American families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Jewish girl names from the Courage cluster
Names that sound similar
Jewish girl names that open with the same syllables as Leah
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Leah — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Leah
What does the name Leah mean?
Leah means "Weary, wild cow, the matriarch whose unloved eyes saw more clearly than beauty ever could — Leah is the first wife of Jacob in Genesis, the older sister given in place of the younger Rachel. Though described as having weak eyes, she bore six of the twelve tribes of Israel. Her name carries the quiet triumph of the overlooked, the endurance of a woman whose worth was proven not by her face but by her extraordinary fruitfulness." It is a girl name of Hebrew origin, traditionally used in Jewish families.
Is Leah a boy or girl name?
Leah is most commonly used as a girl name.
What is the origin of the name Leah?
Leah is of Hebrew origin, used in Jewish, Christian traditions, commonly among American, European, MiddleEastern families.
Is Leah a Jewish name?
Yes. Leah is a girl name traditionally used in Jewish families, of Hebrew origin. It also appears in Christian tradition.
What does Leah mean in Hebrew?
Leah originates from Hebrew, where it means "Weary, wild cow, the matriarch whose unloved eyes saw more clearly than beauty ever could — Leah is the first wife of Jacob in Genesis, the older sister given in place of the younger Rachel. Though described as having weak eyes, she bore six of the twelve tribes of Israel. Her name carries the quiet triumph of the overlooked, the endurance of a woman whose worth was proven not by her face but by her extraordinary fruitfulness."
What is the numerology of Leah?
Leah has a Pythagorean destiny number of 8 — material mastery and executive power.
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