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Kalilah

♀ Girl

Pronounced kah-LEE-lah /kɑ.ˈli.lɑ/Medium

Meaning: DarlingMedium

In 30 seconds: Kalilah is an Arabic girl's name meaning 'darling' or 'beloved'. It is a warm name of endearment.

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Origin MediumArabic

MeaningDarling

U.S. rank (2025)#1678 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births123 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 883

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kalilah comes from Arabic, where it carries the affectionate sense of a darling or sweetheart. The feminine '-ah' ending marks it as a girl's form. Its meaning makes it a name of tenderness above all.

The repeated 'l' sounds give Kalilah a gentle, lilting flow. Belizean journalist and poet Kalilah Enriquez, winner of the inaugural Belize Literary Prize, carries the name today.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Kalilah is 'darling', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 70%

Behind the Name - Kalilah — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Kalilah Enriquez (b. 1983)
Belizean journalist and poet who has worked as a broadcast journalist in Jamaica and won the inaugural Belize Literary Prize.

If you like Kalilah…

Khalil— The masculine Arabic counterpart from the same 'beloved friend' root.

Layla— An Arabic girl's name with the same lilting, affectionate feel.

Khadijah— shares Kalilah's Arabic roots

Kamilah— a fellow Arabic choice

Khaliyah— shares Kalilah's Arabic roots

Explore names like Kalilah

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kalilah mean?

Kalilah is usually explained as meaning 'darling' and is most often linked with Arabic tradition.

How do you pronounce Kalilah?

It's commonly said kah-LEE-lah /kɑ.ˈli.lɑ/.

Is Kalilah a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Kalilah is used as a girl name.

How popular is Kalilah?

In 2024, Kalilah ranked #1910 in the U.S. for girls, with 104 births recorded.