girl's name
Delilah
dih-LY-luh
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 79,697
the United States
#51
2025 births
Delilah is a girl's name of Hebrew origin, usually translated as "delicate" or connected to a root meaning to weaken. In the Book of Judges she discovers the source of Samson's strength and has his hair cut, which has shaped the name's reputation ever since.
- Delilah is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2024, when 4,254 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 801 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Delilah over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 138 |
| 1890s | 209 |
| 1900s | 195 |
| 1910s | 501 |
| 1920s | 605 |
| 1930s | 539 |
| 1940s | 740 |
| 1950s | 1,633 |
| 1960s | 802 |
| 1970s | 1,477 |
| 1980s | 1,895 |
| 1990s | 1,822 |
| 2000s | 7,610 |
| 2010s | 25,018 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 23,499 |
What Delilah means
Delilah is generally read as delicate, or as "she who weakened," from a Hebrew root meaning to weaken or to be poor. The second reading is inseparable from the biblical episode, where the name and the act appear to be linked deliberately.
Where Delilah comes from
Delilah comes from the Hebrew Delilah, connected to the root dalal, meaning to weaken or diminish. In Judges she is paid by the Philistines to discover the secret of Samson's strength, and after repeated attempts learns it lies in his uncut hair, which she has shaved while he sleeps. Whether the name was chosen for the wordplay or the story grew around an existing name is not recoverable, but the association is ancient. That reputation kept the name largely out of use among English speakers for centuries — Puritans who freely used Old Testament names avoided this one — and its recent popularity, helped by its sound and its appearance in popular music, represents a genuine shift in attitude toward the story.
Delilah in use
Delilah is a rare case of a biblical name avoided for centuries because of its bearer's reputation, then adopted anyway.
How popular is Delilah?
In 2025, Delilah was given to 4,137 babies in the United States, ranking #51 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Delilah is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Delilah
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Delilah also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Delilah over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
4 nicknames for Delilah
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Delilah in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Delilah
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Delilah — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Delilah
What does the name Delilah mean?
Delilah is usually translated as "delicate," or connected to a Hebrew root meaning to weaken.
Who was Delilah in the Bible?
In the Book of Judges she discovers that Samson's strength lies in his uncut hair and has it shaved.
Why was Delilah avoided as a name?
Its biblical association with betrayal kept it out of English use for centuries, including among Puritans who otherwise favored Old Testament names.
How popular is the name Delilah?
In 2025, Delilah was given to 4,137 babies in the United States, ranking #51 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Delilah a girl's or a boy's name?
Delilah is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Delilah?
Delilah has 3 syllables.
When was Delilah most popular?
Delilah peaked in 2024, when 4,254 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Delilah?
Delilah is usually shortened to Lila, Dee, Del and Lilah.
Is Delilah a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Delilah currently ranks #32 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.