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Leila (name)

Leila (, , ) is a feminine Arabic given name primarily found in the Middle East, including all Arab countries, as well as Iran, Turkey, and Israel. In the Latin alphabet, the name is commonly spelled in multiple ways, including Leila, Layla, Laylah, Laila, Leyla, and Leylah.

Leila comes from the Arabic word ''layl'' (), which means "night", or "dark". The name is often given to girls born during the night, signifying "daughter of the night".

The story of ''Qays and Layla'' or ''Layla and Majnun'' is based on the romantic poems of Qais Ibn Al-Mulawwah () in 7th century Arabia, who was nicknamed Majnoon Layla (), Arabic for "madly in love with Layla", referring to his cousin Layla Al-Amiriah (). His poems are considered the paragon of unrequited chaste love. They later became a popular romance in medieval Iran, and use of the name spread accordingly. The name gained popularity further afield in the Persianate world such as Iran and Pakistan also amongst Turkic peoples and in the Balkans and India.

The Indian version is "Leela" or "Lila." Some people of Indian origin use the spelling "Leila." The name in Sanskrit loosely translates to "divine play."

In the Nordic countries, Laila or Lajla is derived from the Sami name ''Láilá'', the Sami variant of Helga which means "holy". Provided by Wikipedia