Leela or 'Lila' is a name of Sanskrit origin and related to Hindu religion and philosophy. Sanskrit word leela/lila can be translated as "play or divine play" (noun), as in the Hindu philosophical concept of leela between Radha and Krishna. It can also mean 'act of God'. Leela name is also associated with Hindu goddess Durga. The concept of 'lila' is rooted in Hindu philosophy and cosmology and describe the way God manifests in the world.
Notable people with the name include:
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Given name
Leela Aheer (born 1970), Canadian politician
Leela Bunce (born 1980), British media personality
Leela Chitnis (1912–2003), Indian actress
Leela Corman, American cartoonist
Leela Desai (fl. 1937–1961), Indian actress
Leela Devi (1932–1998), Indian writer
Leela Devi Dookhun (born 1961), Mauritian cabinet minister
Leela Dube (1923–2012), Indian anthropologist
Leela Gandhi (born 1966), Indian-American academic
Leela Gilday, Dene-Canadian singer
Leela Grace (born 1977), American singer-songwriter
Leela Hamid (born 1984), Maldivian volleyball player
Leela Hazzah, Egyptian conservation biologist
Leela James (born 1983), American singer-songwriter
Leela Majumdar (1908–2007), Bengali writer
Leela Damodara Menon (born 1923), Indian politician
Leela Mishra (1908–1988), Indian actress
Leela Naidu (1940–2009), Indian actress
Leela Nambudiripad (1934–2021), Indian children's author
Leela Omchery (born 1929), Indian singer and writer
Leela Roy (1900–1970), Indian politician
Leela Samson (born 1951), Indian dancer and writer
Leela Savasta, Canadian actress
Leela Soma, Indian-Scottish writer
Leela Sumant Moolgaokar (1916–1992), Indian social worker
Leela Varghese, Australian filmmaker, co-writer and director of Lesbian Space Princess (2025)
Surname
Chindodi Leela (1937–2010), Indian actress and politician
Kulappulli Leela, Indian actress
P. Leela (1934–2005), Indian playback singer
'Leela' could be associated with a variation of the Semitic name Leila which means "night" in both Arabic and Hebrew.