Declining since 2022, #6,116 for girls today.
Popularity of Wesleigh since 1988
Babies named Wesleigh per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 11 |
| 1990s | 42 |
| 2000s | 26 |
| 2010s | 158 |
| 2020s | 139 |
Meaning & origin
Wesleigh is a modern respelling of the surname-turned-first-name Wesley. The name first appeared in official U.S. records in 1988, and as of 2023 it ranks 6,116th, with a 1-in-84,593 usage rate. It reached its highest popularity in 2021, but has been falling since 2022. This 'leigh' ending reflects a broader naming fashion for feminine -leigh names (like Paisley and Kinsley) that softened the traditional masculine 'Wesley.' While primarily used for girls, it has not cracked the top 5,000 most common names, making it an uncommon choice that feels familiar yet distinctive.
Wesleigh is a modern feminine variant of the surname Wesley, which derives from an Old English place name meaning 'west wood' or 'western meadow' (west + leah 'clearing, meadow'). The surname was carried by John Wesley, founder of Methodism, and gained use as a given name in the 19th century. The feminine spelling with 'leigh' emerged in the late 20th century as part of a trend of substituting 'lee' with the more ornate 'leigh' for girls.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Wes, Lee, Leigh
Sibling names for Wesleigh
Names that share Wesleigh's style, for a brother or sister.
