Leah

Leah is a Hebrew name, derived from the root meaning weary or languid, though some scholars connect it to an Akkadian word meaning cow, suggesting a link to ancient Near Eastern pastoral culture. In the Hebrew Bible, Leah is the elder daughter of Laban and first wife of Jacob, mother of six of the twelve tribes of Israel, making her one of the four matriarchs of the Jewish tradition. The name spread widely through Christian and Jewish communities following the Protestant Reformation, when biblical names gained broad popularity. Closely related forms include Lea, the common variant across many European languages, as well as Lia in Italian and Portuguese.