Girl name · Hebrew
Delilah
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: delicate, weak, languishingDelilah is a girl's name that comes from Hebrew and means "delicate, weak, languishing". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Delicate, weak, languishing
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #51 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Delilah
As a girl's name, Delilah comes from Hebrew and means "delicate, weak, languishing". It is used in English.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Delilah on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Delilah on 3 lists.
“Delicate, weak; Hebrew. The woman who betrayed Samson, Judges 16, so read the story first”
From Biblical names, women of the Old Testament
“Freddie Mercury's beloved cat, who got her own Queen song”
From Cat names, famous cat names from history
“A lyrical name made famous by songs and stories”
From Girl dog names, feminine names for dogs
How popular is Delilah?
- US rank in 2025
- #51
- 4,137 babies, 2,574 per million girls
- Best rank
- #50 in 2024
- 4,254 babies that year
- Babies since 1880
- At least 66,683
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 105 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 94 per million |
| 1900s | 67 per million |
| 1910s | 61 per million |
| 1920s | 51 per million |
| 1930s | 51 per million |
| 1940s | 51 per million |
| 1950s | 85 per million |
| 1960s | 44 per million |
| 1970s | 96 per million |
| 1980s | 110 per million |
| 1990s | 101 per million |
| 2000s | 412 per million |
| 2010s | 1,429 per million |
| 2020s | 2,415 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #115 | #102 | #92 | #88 | #70 | #58 | #58 | #52 | #50 | #51 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Delilah
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Lilatraditional short form (English)
- Lilahtraditional short form (English)
Names spelled like Delilah
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- DeliaFrom Delos (Greek, girl)
- DellaNoble (Germanic, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- AdinaSlender, delicate (Hebrew, girl)
- EidelDelicate (Yiddish, girl)
- LayanSoft, delicate (Arabic, girl)
- NazaninDelicate, charming (Persian, girl)
- NazlıCoy, delicate (Persian, girl)
Middle names for Delilah
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Hebrew
- AnnaFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- EvaLiving, life (Hebrew, girl)
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- SarahPrincess, noblewoman (Hebrew, girl)
- EliseGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- LisaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- AnneFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- DanielaGod is my judge (Hebrew, girl)
- ElsaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- HannahFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
Delilah: common questions
What does the name Delilah mean?
Delilah comes from Hebrew and means "delicate, weak, languishing". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Delilah a boy or girl name?
Delilah is mainly a girl's name.
What are nicknames for Delilah?
Common nicknames for Delilah include Lila and Lilah.
How popular is the name Delilah?
Delilah ranked #51 in the US in 2025, with 4,137 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Delilah?
Names spelled like Delilah include Delia and Della.
What middle names go with Delilah?
Middle names that flow well with Delilah include Blair, Fern, Hazel, Honor and Hope. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.