Lea is the Continental spelling of Leah, the Hebrew name of Jacob's first wife, traditionally explained as "weary" though sometimes linked to a word for "wild cow"; in English it can also be read as the Old English lea, "meadow". The spelling without the h is standard in Germany, France and Scandinavia. Lea has remained in the US top 1000 since 2000, peaked at number 556 in 2011 and ranks number 848 among girls in 2025.