The name Leta is of Latin origin and its meaning is "happy" or "joyful". This name has been used throughout history, with some notable figures including Leta Brodie, an Australian poet, and Leta Hong Fincher, a journalist and author.
The name Leta may have gained popularity in part due to its association with the Latin word "laetus", which means happy. However, it is important to note that Leta is not strictly derived from this word and its exact origins are unknown.
Despite being less common than some other names, Leta has been used consistently throughout history and continues to be chosen by parents today. Its unique sound and meaningful meaning make it a distinctive choice for a child's name.
The name Leta has been given to a total of 11,923 babies born in the United States over the past century and a half. This name's popularity can be seen as having peaks and valleys.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Leta was quite popular with parents. The highest number of births recorded for this name was in 1915, with 224 babies given this name that year. This trend continued through the mid-1920s, with over 200 births each year from 1923 to 1927.
However, after the late 1920s, the popularity of Leta began to decline steadily. By the early 1960s, fewer than 100 babies were being named Leta annually. This trend continued until the name became quite rare by the end of the century, with fewer than 30 births recorded each year from 1980 onwards.
Despite this decline in popularity, Leta has made a bit of resurgence in recent years. After hitting a low of just eight births in 2013, the number of babies named Leta began to rise again slightly, reaching 27 births in 2020 and 13 births so far in 2023.
This data shows that while Leta was once a popular name in the United States, its popularity has waxed and waned over time. Despite its current rarity, it is still possible for parents to choose this unique name for their child.