Declining since 1985, #712 for girls today.
Popularity of Leslie since 1880
Babies named Leslie per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1957, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Leslie's real moment was 1969.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 126 | 1,292 |
| 1890s | 257 | 2,063 |
| 1900s | 324 | 2,531 |
| 1910s | 785 | 10,630 |
| 1920s | 1,241 | 15,065 |
| 1930s | 1,447 | 12,242 |
| 1940s | 14,856 | 19,389 |
| 1950s | 43,049 | 21,381 |
| 1960s | 54,453 | 13,724 |
| 1970s | 44,839 | 7,194 |
| 1980s | 38,729 | 3,864 |
| 1990s | 26,769 | 1,960 |
| 2000s | 31,055 | 967 |
| 2010s | 9,752 | 482 |
| 2020s | 2,747 | 205 |
Meaning & origin
Leslie is a Scottish name that transitioned from a surname to a given name, and from masculine to primarily feminine use. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1880, and its popularity peaked in 1969, when it was a top-100 name for girls. Since 1985, its usage has been falling; in 2025 it ranked 712th, with a frequency of 1 in 4,090. The name has been most common in Maryland, Illinois, and Kentucky. While traditionally Scottish, Leslie has become a staple of English-speaking naming, often spelled 'Lesley' for girls. The name's soft-yet-sturdy sound and unisex history give it a versatile quality, though it is now overwhelmingly given to girls.
Leslie is a Scottish surname turned given name, derived from a place name in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The place name likely comes from Gaelic elements 'leas' meaning 'garden' and 'liath' meaning 'gray', together 'gray garden', though later folk etymology associated it with 'holly'. Historically used as a masculine name in Scotland, it became more common for girls in the English-speaking world from the 19th century onward.
Where Leslie is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Leslie” around the world
Where Leslie lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
30
babies in 2024
Quebec
13
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Les
Variants: Lesley
Sibling names for Leslie
Names that share Leslie's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Leslie
Names whose popularity has moved with Leslie's over the last 50 years.
