Leslie
Leslie is a surname and given name, derived from the name of Clan Leslie. The name may also be spelled Lesley. The name derives from a placename in Aberdeenshire, perhaps an anglicisation of an originally Gaelic leas celyn "holly-garden". In the United Kingdom, the name is spelled Leslie when given to boys, while for girls it is usually rendered as Lesley.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Leslie
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Leslie is a surname and given name, derived from the name of Clan Leslie. The name may also be spelled Lesley. The name derives from a placename in Aberdeenshire, perhaps an anglicisation of an originally Gaelic leas celyn "holly-garden". In the United Kingdom, the name is spelled Leslie when given to boys, while for girls it is usually rendered as Lesley.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Leslie
As a girl name
Leslie first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 8 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1957: 6,103 births, good for #77 nationwide. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 20% of all recorded Leslies. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #634 among girl names with 472 births, falling sharply (-18%). In total, more than 271K Leslies have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Leslie first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 79 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1952: 2,359 births, good for #125 nationwide. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,833 among boy names with 45 births, gradually rising (+5%). In total, more than 113K Leslies have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Leslie
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Leslie. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Where is Leslie most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- JM33%
- United States29%
- New Zealand14%
- Australia13%
- Canada11%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Leslie
Phonetically similar names — useful when Leslie is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Leslie
What does the name Leslie mean?
What is the origin of the name Leslie?
How popular is Leslie in 2026?
When was Leslie most popular?
In which U.S. states is Leslie most popular?
Is Leslie a unisex name?
What names go well with Leslie?
What are nicknames or variants of Leslie?
About the name Leslie
Leslie is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 271K births in the dataset. Leslie's peak popularity came in 1957 when it ranked #56. Use the chart and map above to compare Leslie's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1957 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.