Lela is a spelling of Leila, the Arabic and Persian name that means "night", and it also appears as a form of the Roman family name Lelia. It was a familiar American name around 1900 and still has a gentle vintage sound. Lela stood at number 1538 in the United States in 2000, reached number 1325 in 2012 and has slipped to number 2374 in 2025.