Lya is a streamlined spelling of Lia and Leah, the Hebrew name of Jacob's first wife, which is usually explained as "weary" or, less often, "wild cow". The spelling is popular in France and Brazil, where it is a fashionable alternative to Léa and Lia. In the United States Lya is still rare: it peaked at number 2699 in 2019 and stands at number 2845 in 2025.