Declining since 2016, #8,362 for girls today.
Popularity of Leda since 1880
Babies named Leda per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1920, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Leda's real moment was 1904.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 85 |
| 1890s | 190 |
| 1900s | 214 |
| 1910s | 363 |
| 1920s | 455 |
| 1930s | 334 |
| 1940s | 334 |
| 1950s | 389 |
| 1960s | 317 |
| 1970s | 166 |
| 1980s | 142 |
| 1990s | 101 |
| 2000s | 107 |
| 2010s | 156 |
| 2020s | 95 |
Meaning & origin
Leda is a name drawn directly from Greek mythology, where Leda was the mother of Helen of Troy. Although it has been in use in the United States since at least 1880, it has never been a common choice. Its peak popularity came in 1904, but since 2016 it has been on a gradual decline. The name's rarity today makes it a distinctive option for parents seeking a mythological name with ancient roots. Leda has never ranked among the top 1,000 names and is given to only about 1 in every 133,939 girls as of 2025. Its associations are primarily literary and classical, rather than tied to any specific state or region.
Leda is a name from Greek mythology, where she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Helen of Troy, Castor, and Pollux. The etymology is debated; it may derive from the Greek word 'lēdē' meaning 'woman' or 'lady', though some suggest a connection to 'lēdos', a type of bird (the swan), referencing the myth of Zeus transforming into a swan to seduce her. The name has been used in English-speaking countries since the 19th century, but has never been common.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Lee, Ledi
Sibling names for Leda
Names that share Leda's style, for a brother or sister.
