Spelling comparison
Lilah vs Lila
2025 US records for these exact spellings: Lilah 1,736 and Lila 1,670. Lilah’s share of that pair is 51.0%. The multiple is about 1.0 times the published count of Lila.
US national data through 2025 · Source retrieved
Data updated
The two spellings share a Little Names spelling key. Lilah profile · Lila profile
Lilah and Lila name the same child-name in two spellings. The tables below never merge those rows into a single total. Lilah is the longer of the two spellings, and Lila is the shorter. Lilah writes “h” after “Lila”, and Lila leaves that spot out.
In years when both spellings were published, the lead changed once. The latest crossover is 2022, when Lilah moved ahead of Lila on the combined published count (1,364 to 1,354).
Lilah is first published in these national files in 1884, and Lila in 1880. Lilah’s larger 2025 category is female. Lila’s larger 2025 category is female. Lila led 14 decades and Lilah led 1 decade among decades in which both spellings have a published total.
Inside 2016–2025, the widest combined gap was 468 records in 2016, and the closest year was 2022 (a gap of 10). Of the combined 2025 records for this pair (3,406), Lilah is 51.0% and Lila is 49.0%.
2016–2025, count and rank
2016: Lila led 2016 by 468 published records (1,561 to 1,093). Lilah and Lila stay separate rows; 1,093 and 1,561 are not a combined baby-name total. In 2017, Lilah had 1,177 female records (rank #272); Lila had 1,474 female records (rank #210). Lila led 2017 by 297 published records (1,474 to 1,177). 2018 belongs to Lila. Lilah had 1,155 female records (rank #287); Lila had 1,405 female records (rank #225). The gap that year was 250 records. For 2019, compare the categories separately: Lilah had 1,153 female records (rank #288); Lila had 1,373 female records (rank #228). Lila led 2019 by 220 published records (1,373 to 1,153), and the smaller spelling is Lilah. Lila was the higher published spelling in 2020, with 1,298 female records (rank #228) against 1,258 female records (rank #240) for Lilah. The 2021 national file shows Lila led 2021 by 91 published records (1,341 to 1,250). Read as exact spellings: Lilah had 1,250 female records (rank #244); Lila had 1,341 female records (rank #223). 2022: Lilah led 2022 by 10 published records (1,364 to 1,354). Lilah and Lila stay separate rows; 1,364 and 1,354 are not a combined baby-name total. In 2023, Lilah had 1,503 female records (rank #198); Lila had 1,401 female records (rank #213). Lilah led 2023 by 102 published records (1,503 to 1,401). 2024 belongs to Lilah. Lilah had 1,690 female records (rank #179); Lila had 1,482 female records (rank #207). The gap that year was 208 records. For 2025, compare the categories separately: Lilah had 1,736 female records (rank #179); Lila had 1,670 female records (rank #187). Lilah led 2025 by 66 published records (1,736 to 1,670), and the smaller spelling is Lila.
| Year | Lilah female count | Lilah female rank | Lilah male count | Lilah male rank | Lila female count | Lila female rank | Lila male count | Lila male rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,093 | 299 | — | — | 1,561 | 210 | — | — |
| 2017 | 1,177 | 272 | — | — | 1,474 | 210 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,155 | 287 | — | — | 1,405 | 225 | — | — |
| 2019 | 1,153 | 288 | — | — | 1,373 | 228 | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,258 | 240 | — | — | 1,298 | 228 | — | — |
| 2021 | 1,250 | 244 | — | — | 1,341 | 223 | — | — |
| 2022 | 1,364 | 220 | — | — | 1,354 | 221 | — | — |
| 2023 | 1,503 | 198 | — | — | 1,401 | 213 | — | — |
| 2024 | 1,690 | 179 | — | — | 1,482 | 207 | — | — |
| 2025 | 1,736 | 179 | — | — | 1,670 | 187 | — | — |
Combined counts, 1880–2025
Each line adds the published female and male counts for that spelling. A gap is a year with no published observation, not a zero. Lilah is the warm line and Lila is the cool line.
Which spelling led each decade
Lila was the 1880s leader, 691 published records against 32 for Lilah. The 1890s files give 125 published records to Lilah and 1,673 to Lila, so Lila led the decade. Lila was the 1900s leader, 2,337 published records against 120 for Lilah. The 1910s files give 254 published records to Lilah and 5,567 to Lila, so Lila led the decade. Lila was the 1920s leader, 10,325 published records against 284 for Lilah. The 1930s files give 146 published records to Lilah and 7,876 to Lila, so Lila led the decade. Lila was the 1940s leader, 4,408 published records against 102 for Lilah. The 1950s files give 74 published records to Lilah and 3,569 to Lila, so Lila led the decade. Lila was the 1960s leader, 1,905 published records against 60 for Lilah. The 1970s files give 121 published records to Lilah and 1,234 to Lila, so Lila led the decade. Lila was the 1980s leader, 1,255 published records against 148 for Lilah. The 1990s files give 271 published records to Lilah and 1,560 to Lila, so Lila led the decade. Lila was the 2000s leader, 9,036 published records against 3,374 for Lilah. The 2010s files give 10,752 published records to Lilah and 16,568 to Lila, so Lila led the decade. Lilah was the 2020s leader, 8,801 published records against 8,546 for Lila.
Top states in 2025
Lilah’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are California (164), Texas (130), Florida (94), New York (86), Ohio (74). Lila’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are California (150), Texas (132), New York (93), Florida (89), North Carolina (71). California, Texas, Florida are in the top states for both spellings. A state can rank differently for each spelling because the counts are not merged.