Fun Facts About the Name Leslie
- A favorite of earlier generations: Leslie appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 3 separate runs, totaling 41 years. Its last run lasted 6 consecutive years, from 1999 through 2004.
- A favorite of earlier generations: Leslie appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 22 years. Its last run lasted 20 consecutive years, from 1890 through 1909.
- More than 383 thousand babies named Leslie: U.S. records list 383,412 babies given the name Leslie from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 112,990 boys received the name Leslie - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.
What Does the Name Leslie Mean?
Leslie is a Scottish name that reached use as a first name by way of a surname, and the surname came from a place: the parish and barony of Leslie in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The place name is generally explained as Scottish Gaelic leas, meaning "garden" or "plot of ground," joined to cuileann, meaning "holly" - hence "holly garden" or "garden of holly." That is the conventional gloss rather than a documented translation, since the name comes down to us through a medieval surname and the exact early Gaelic form of the place name is not certain. The meaning is the same whether the name is given to a boy or a girl; the spelling Lesley is a variant of the same name, not a separate one with its own origin.
Leslie Name History & Origins
The place name Leslie is recorded in Aberdeenshire, in the district of the Garioch, and there is also a Leslie in Fife. The Scottish family that took its name from the Aberdeenshire lands rose to prominence in the Middle Ages. The Leslies held the title Earl of Rothes from the fifteenth century and were among the better-known landed families of Scotland. Traditional family accounts trace their descent from a certain Bartholomew said to have come to Scotland from Hungary in the eleventh century, but that story belongs to family legend rather than to documented history.
As a given name, Leslie follows the Scottish habit of using surnames as first names, the same pattern that produced Gordon, Douglas, and Murray. It was used first for boys in Scotland. By the nineteenth century it was appearing as a first name more widely in the English-speaking world, and in the twentieth century it became common for girls as well as boys, especially in North America. The spelling Lesley became the more usual feminine form in Britain. Among the better-known bearers are the British actor Leslie Howard and the Canadian actor Leslie Nielsen.
How Popular is the Name Leslie?
Leslie recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1957. Leslie ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1887 through 1888, then returned in 1890 and remained through 1909.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #712 | 393 | 0.0245% |
| 2024 | #605 | 495 | 0.0307% |
| 2023 | #670 | 440 | 0.0275% |
| 2022 | #653 | 453 | 0.0276% |
| 2021 | #624 | 477 | 0.0291% |
| 2020 | #596 | 488 | 0.0302% |
| 2019 | #536 | 572 | 0.0341% |
| 2018 | #521 | 600 | 0.0353% |
| 2017 | #449 | 704 | 0.0408% |
| 2016 | #414 | 806 | 0.0455% |
| 2015 | #371 | 880 | 0.0493% |
| 2014 | #338 | 1,000 | 0.0560% |
| 2013 | #288 | 1,111 | 0.0633% |
| 2012 | #266 | 1,225 | 0.0696% |
| 2011 | #247 | 1,286 | 0.0731% |
| 2010 | #199 | 1,565 | 0.0881% |
| 2009 | #160 | 1,983 | 0.1080% |
| 2008 | #147 | 2,325 | 0.1230% |
| 2007 | #127 | 2,690 | 0.1399% |
| 2006 | #108 | 3,036 | 0.1597% |
| 2005 | #103 | 3,122 | 0.1690% |
| 2004 | #93 | 3,500 | 0.1906% |
| 2003 | #91 | 3,639 | 0.1992% |
| 2002 | #91 | 3,522 | 0.1960% |
| 2001 | #84 | 3,612 | 0.2006% |
| 2000 | #90 | 3,623 | 0.1995% |
| 1999 | #100 | 3,341 | 0.1884% |
| 1998 | #111 | 3,079 | 0.1743% |
| 1997 | #115 | 2,821 | 0.1621% |
| 1996 | #118 | 2,664 | 0.1520% |
| 1995 | #137 | 2,313 | 0.1315% |
| 1994 | #131 | 2,398 | 0.1343% |
| 1993 | #138 | 2,294 | 0.1268% |
| 1992 | #133 | 2,482 | 0.1346% |
| 1991 | #124 | 2,551 | 0.1361% |
| 1990 | #115 | 2,828 | 0.1490% |
| 1989 | #108 | 2,864 | 0.1554% |
| 1988 | #94 | 3,080 | 0.1730% |
| 1987 | #89 | 3,194 | 0.1837% |
| 1986 | #86 | 3,225 | 0.1880% |
| 1985 | #76 | 3,606 | 0.2095% |
| 1984 | #75 | 3,817 | 0.2267% |
| 1983 | #67 | 4,249 | 0.2543% |
| 1982 | #60 | 4,984 | 0.2943% |
| 1981 | #56 | 4,934 | 0.2958% |
| 1980 | #61 | 4,776 | 0.2876% |
| 1979 | #65 | 4,498 | 0.2802% |
| 1978 | #63 | 4,342 | 0.2834% |
| 1977 | #65 | 4,250 | 0.2772% |
| 1976 | #65 | 4,311 | 0.2942% |
| 1975 | #71 | 4,105 | 0.2816% |
| 1974 | #65 | 4,463 | 0.3041% |
| 1973 | #75 | 3,954 | 0.2712% |
| 1972 | #75 | 4,184 | 0.2750% |
| 1971 | #68 | 5,111 | 0.3072% |
| 1970 | #64 | 5,622 | 0.3216% |
| 1969 | #64 | 5,835 | 0.3459% |
| 1968 | #66 | 5,282 | 0.3220% |
| 1967 | #66 | 5,318 | 0.3221% |
| 1966 | #71 | 4,999 | 0.2954% |
| 1965 | #75 | 4,875 | 0.2762% |
| 1964 | #73 | 5,598 | 0.2954% |
| 1963 | #72 | 5,856 | 0.3038% |
| 1962 | #80 | 5,778 | 0.2938% |
| 1961 | #84 | 5,669 | 0.2809% |
| 1960 | #92 | 5,241 | 0.2592% |
| 1959 | #84 | 5,651 | 0.2793% |
| 1958 | #79 | 6,014 | 0.2990% |
| 1957 | #77 | 6,103 | 0.2985% |
| 1956 | #104 | 4,382 | 0.2183% |
| 1955 | #99 | 4,405 | 0.2253% |
| 1954 | #99 | 4,147 | 0.2136% |
| 1953 | #96 | 3,904 | 0.2075% |
| 1952 | #104 | 3,573 | 0.1927% |
| 1951 | #133 | 2,540 | 0.1410% |
| 1950 | #134 | 2,329 | 0.1360% |
| 1949 | #132 | 2,418 | 0.1413% |
| 1948 | #131 | 2,305 | 0.1358% |
| 1947 | #132 | 2,358 | 0.1330% |
| 1946 | #130 | 2,139 | 0.1361% |
| 1945 | #142 | 1,704 | 0.1304% |
| 1944 | #182 | 1,202 | 0.0906% |
| 1943 | #191 | 1,137 | 0.0815% |
| 1942 | #231 | 834 | 0.0617% |
| 1941 | #288 | 505 | 0.0418% |
| 1940 | #427 | 254 | 0.0222% |
| 1939 | #499 | 179 | 0.0163% |
| 1938 | #504 | 176 | 0.0160% |
| 1937 | #494 | 177 | 0.0166% |
| 1936 | #480 | 179 | 0.0172% |
| 1935 | #502 | 161 | 0.0154% |
| 1934 | #581 | 125 | 0.0120% |
| 1933 | #581 | 123 | 0.0122% |
| 1932 | #701 | 94 | 0.0088% |
| 1931 | #663 | 101 | 0.0095% |
| 1930 | #604 | 132 | 0.0117% |
| 1929 | #694 | 102 | 0.0091% |
| 1928 | #693 | 102 | 0.0088% |
| 1927 | #639 | 126 | 0.0106% |
| 1926 | #600 | 140 | 0.0118% |
| 1925 | #624 | 139 | 0.0114% |
| 1924 | #632 | 142 | 0.0114% |
| 1923 | #588 | 151 | 0.0125% |
| 1922 | #659 | 121 | 0.0101% |
| 1921 | #655 | 126 | 0.0102% |
| 1920 | #759 | 92 | 0.0077% |
| 1919 | #652 | 114 | 0.0101% |
| 1918 | #628 | 127 | 0.0110% |
| 1917 | #693 | 99 | 0.0092% |
| 1916 | #680 | 101 | 0.0097% |
| 1915 | #715 | 88 | 0.0089% |
| 1914 | #704 | 68 | 0.0089% |
| 1913 | #732 | 52 | 0.0083% |
| 1912 | #720 | 49 | 0.0088% |
| 1911 | #737 | 35 | 0.0084% |
| 1910 | #574 | 52 | 0.0131% |
| 1909 | #678 | 35 | 0.0101% |
| 1908 | #585 | 41 | 0.0123% |
| 1907 | #644 | 34 | 0.0107% |
| 1906 | #683 | 29 | 0.0098% |
| 1905 | #591 | 35 | 0.0120% |
| 1904 | #635 | 30 | 0.0109% |
| 1903 | #685 | 24 | 0.0092% |
| 1902 | #532 | 37 | 0.0140% |
| 1901 | #585 | 29 | 0.0121% |
| 1900 | #646 | 30 | 0.0100% |
| 1899 | #777 | 18 | 0.0077% |
| 1898 | #673 | 24 | 0.0093% |
| 1897 | #502 | 34 | 0.0145% |
| 1896 | #601 | 27 | 0.0113% |
| 1895 | #672 | 22 | 0.0094% |
| 1894 | #469 | 36 | 0.0161% |
| 1893 | #558 | 26 | 0.0122% |
| 1892 | #607 | 22 | 0.0104% |
| 1891 | #491 | 28 | 0.0151% |
| 1890 | #590 | 20 | 0.0105% |
| 1889 | #538 | 23 | 0.0129% |
| 1888 | #529 | 23 | 0.0129% |
| 1887 | #678 | 12 | 0.0082% |
| 1886 | #865 | 8 | 0.0055% |
| 1885 | #719 | 10 | 0.0075% |
| 1884 | #552 | 15 | 0.0116% |
| 1883 | #789 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1882 | #659 | 9 | 0.0083% |
| 1881 | #523 | 11 | 0.0120% |
| 1880 | #655 | 8 | 0.0088% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,563 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 2024 | #3,016 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 2023 | #3,092 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 2022 | #3,503 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2021 | #3,461 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2020 | #3,979 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2019 | #2,609 | 50 | 0.0028% |
| 2018 | #3,080 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 2017 | #2,742 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2016 | #2,707 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2015 | #2,338 | 56 | 0.0029% |
| 2014 | #2,222 | 61 | 0.0032% |
| 2013 | #3,100 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 2012 | #2,508 | 50 | 0.0026% |
| 2011 | #2,363 | 54 | 0.0028% |
| 2010 | #2,613 | 47 | 0.0024% |
| 2009 | #1,906 | 76 | 0.0038% |
| 2008 | #1,912 | 76 | 0.0037% |
| 2007 | #1,790 | 82 | 0.0040% |
| 2006 | #1,720 | 82 | 0.0040% |
| 2005 | #1,448 | 102 | 0.0051% |
| 2004 | #1,497 | 90 | 0.0045% |
| 2003 | #1,353 | 101 | 0.0051% |
| 2002 | #1,377 | 96 | 0.0049% |
| 2001 | #1,126 | 125 | 0.0064% |
| 2000 | #1,050 | 137 | 0.0070% |
| 1999 | #1,110 | 120 | 0.0062% |
| 1998 | #1,070 | 123 | 0.0064% |
| 1997 | #881 | 158 | 0.0084% |
| 1996 | #824 | 175 | 0.0092% |
| 1995 | #787 | 186 | 0.0098% |
| 1994 | #727 | 208 | 0.0108% |
| 1993 | #737 | 200 | 0.0102% |
| 1992 | #699 | 216 | 0.0108% |
| 1991 | #611 | 279 | 0.0138% |
| 1990 | #584 | 295 | 0.0144% |
| 1989 | #532 | 327 | 0.0163% |
| 1988 | #516 | 318 | 0.0166% |
| 1987 | #530 | 290 | 0.0155% |
| 1986 | #443 | 380 | 0.0206% |
| 1985 | #476 | 331 | 0.0179% |
| 1984 | #439 | 367 | 0.0203% |
| 1983 | #401 | 414 | 0.0231% |
| 1982 | #391 | 431 | 0.0238% |
| 1981 | #352 | 499 | 0.0279% |
| 1980 | #354 | 507 | 0.0284% |
| 1979 | #341 | 529 | 0.0307% |
| 1978 | #336 | 524 | 0.0319% |
| 1977 | #311 | 608 | 0.0370% |
| 1976 | #327 | 534 | 0.0340% |
| 1975 | #281 | 680 | 0.0435% |
| 1974 | #273 | 691 | 0.0439% |
| 1973 | #247 | 790 | 0.0507% |
| 1972 | #249 | 840 | 0.0518% |
| 1971 | #238 | 985 | 0.0557% |
| 1970 | #234 | 1,014 | 0.0546% |
| 1969 | #224 | 1,043 | 0.0583% |
| 1968 | #223 | 1,012 | 0.0582% |
| 1967 | #212 | 1,062 | 0.0609% |
| 1966 | #197 | 1,239 | 0.0695% |
| 1965 | #181 | 1,418 | 0.0762% |
| 1964 | #196 | 1,446 | 0.0726% |
| 1963 | #192 | 1,557 | 0.0767% |
| 1962 | #183 | 1,650 | 0.0798% |
| 1961 | #190 | 1,622 | 0.0764% |
| 1960 | #185 | 1,674 | 0.0785% |
| 1959 | #175 | 1,757 | 0.0823% |
| 1958 | #161 | 1,943 | 0.0916% |
| 1957 | #156 | 2,096 | 0.0972% |
| 1956 | #152 | 2,050 | 0.0969% |
| 1955 | #138 | 2,231 | 0.1083% |
| 1954 | #137 | 2,232 | 0.1095% |
| 1953 | #135 | 2,284 | 0.1158% |
| 1952 | #125 | 2,359 | 0.1214% |
| 1951 | #125 | 2,298 | 0.1220% |
| 1950 | #126 | 2,132 | 0.1191% |
| 1949 | #126 | 2,208 | 0.1245% |
| 1948 | #129 | 2,214 | 0.1262% |
| 1947 | #124 | 2,305 | 0.1260% |
| 1946 | #119 | 2,138 | 0.1316% |
| 1945 | #115 | 1,975 | 0.1468% |
| 1944 | #114 | 1,971 | 0.1446% |
| 1943 | #121 | 1,917 | 0.1343% |
| 1942 | #127 | 1,734 | 0.1255% |
| 1941 | #126 | 1,557 | 0.1268% |
| 1940 | #136 | 1,370 | 0.1182% |
| 1939 | #136 | 1,294 | 0.1169% |
| 1938 | #135 | 1,248 | 0.1125% |
| 1937 | #131 | 1,237 | 0.1160% |
| 1936 | #128 | 1,252 | 0.1207% |
| 1935 | #131 | 1,222 | 0.1174% |
| 1934 | #134 | 1,215 | 0.1177% |
| 1933 | #137 | 1,168 | 0.1178% |
| 1932 | #142 | 1,177 | 0.1127% |
| 1931 | #139 | 1,192 | 0.1147% |
| 1930 | #139 | 1,237 | 0.1127% |
| 1929 | #136 | 1,259 | 0.1171% |
| 1928 | #128 | 1,380 | 0.1246% |
| 1927 | #126 | 1,441 | 0.1279% |
| 1926 | #126 | 1,467 | 0.1321% |
| 1925 | #119 | 1,518 | 0.1360% |
| 1924 | #107 | 1,664 | 0.1469% |
| 1923 | #112 | 1,553 | 0.1417% |
| 1922 | #114 | 1,544 | 0.1419% |
| 1921 | #106 | 1,647 | 0.1495% |
| 1920 | #110 | 1,592 | 0.1496% |
| 1919 | #105 | 1,539 | 0.1570% |
| 1918 | #102 | 1,644 | 0.1622% |
| 1917 | #107 | 1,440 | 0.1556% |
| 1916 | #112 | 1,355 | 0.1522% |
| 1915 | #106 | 1,409 | 0.1660% |
| 1914 | #103 | 1,076 | 0.1643% |
| 1913 | #105 | 838 | 0.1635% |
| 1912 | #108 | 693 | 0.1612% |
| 1911 | #117 | 323 | 0.1429% |
| 1910 | #102 | 313 | 0.1612% |
| 1909 | #96 | 292 | 0.1781% |
| 1908 | #95 | 279 | 0.1808% |
| 1907 | #94 | 273 | 0.1859% |
| 1906 | #88 | 263 | 0.1975% |
| 1905 | #94 | 237 | 0.1791% |
| 1904 | #91 | 236 | 0.1842% |
| 1903 | #89 | 227 | 0.1904% |
| 1902 | #85 | 251 | 0.2046% |
| 1901 | #89 | 198 | 0.1860% |
| 1900 | #91 | 275 | 0.1828% |
| 1899 | #96 | 181 | 0.1704% |
| 1898 | #90 | 228 | 0.1858% |
| 1897 | #83 | 222 | 0.1969% |
| 1896 | #85 | 237 | 0.1982% |
| 1895 | #81 | 235 | 0.2002% |
| 1894 | #87 | 223 | 0.1926% |
| 1893 | #95 | 185 | 0.1647% |
| 1892 | #93 | 207 | 0.1696% |
| 1891 | #98 | 164 | 0.1621% |
| 1890 | #96 | 181 | 0.1630% |
| 1889 | #106 | 155 | 0.1402% |
| 1888 | #99 | 175 | 0.1448% |
| 1887 | #90 | 166 | 0.1637% |
| 1886 | #114 | 136 | 0.1228% |
| 1885 | #112 | 122 | 0.1132% |
| 1884 | #115 | 125 | 0.1092% |
| 1883 | #110 | 120 | 0.1147% |
| 1882 | #119 | 122 | 0.1073% |
| 1881 | #135 | 92 | 0.0913% |
| 1880 | #167 | 79 | 0.0715% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Leslie
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How the Name Leslie Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Leslie's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Leslie's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.