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Khaleelah
How to Pronounce Khaleelah
Pronounced khuh-LEE-luh /xəˈliː.lə/Medium
Meaning: Khaleelah is a spelling of the Arabic Khalila, the feminine of Khalil, meaning 'close friend' or 'beloved.' Khalil is a revered name, an honorific of the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) as 'friend of God.' A cherished traditional name.Medium
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
Khaleelah is a phonetic spelling of the Arabic Khalila, feminine of Khalil, 'close friend' or 'beloved.' The name carries reverence through Khalil, an epithet of the prophet Ibrahim as the 'friend of God.' As Arabic and Muslim names grew among American families, Khaleelah entered United States birth records in the mid-1970s. It first appears around 1976 and touched a small high around 1977, with use into the 2000s.
It was never common in the United States, given to only a couple dozen girls a year even at its peak. It remains a treasured name across the Muslim world, and here it reads as a name of heritage and faith.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Khaleelah mean?
It is a spelling of the Arabic Khalila, meaning 'close friend' or 'beloved.'
How do you pronounce Khaleelah?
It's said khuh-LEE-luh /xəˈliː.lə/, three syllables with the stress in the middle.
Is Khaleelah a boy or girl name?
Khaleelah is used as a girl's name; it is the feminine of the Arabic Khalil.
How popular is Khaleelah?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak in the late nineteen-seventies.