Delilah

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Girl · Hebrew

Delilah

Say it: dih-LY-luh

Try it with your surname

Meaning

Uncertain. Proposals include a Hebrew root meaning 'weak, delicate' and an Arabic word for 'flirtatious'; none is agreed.

Uncertainseveral explanations, none settled.

Long avoided because of the biblical story, it rose sharply in the United States in the 21st century.

Its wave through time

Popular now

In the United States

46,490 babies given this name since 1880
At its height in 2020, about 1 in 472 girls
3,384 babies in 2020

Through the ages

Used by

Hebrew Early Christian English American

The family of the name

Other spellings: Delila

French	Dalila
Spanish	Dalila
Italian	Dalila
German	Delila
Hebrew	Dlila

Famous bearers

Delilah, who betrayed Samson in the Book of Judges

Names worth a look

EveGirlFrom Hebrew Ḥawwah, which Genesis 3:20 connects with ḥay 'living'. The link to 'life' is the accepted reading,…Biblical · peak 2018

SusannaGirlHebrew Shoshannah, 'lily' (or lotus), probably from an Egyptian word for the lotus flower.Biblical · peak 1886

DinahGirlHebrew Dinah, from din 'judgment', usually read as 'judged' or 'vindicated'.Biblical · peak 1955

MagdaleneGirlGreek Magdalēnē, 'woman of Magdala', a town whose name comes from Hebrew migdal 'tower'.Biblical · peak 1904

NoaGirlHebrew No'ah, from a root meaning 'to move', so usually read as 'movement'. It is unrelated to the male name Noah.Biblical · peak 2020

MichalGirlUncertain. Often taken as a short form of Mikha'el 'who is like God?', but this is not certain.Biblical · peak 1976

DalilaGirlPopular nowpeak 2009

Where this comes from

The Hebrew Bible and the New Testament
United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source

Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.

Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.