Leslie Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Leslie is used for both girls and boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Leslie?
Leslie is spelled L-E-S-L-I-E. The name has 6 letters.
Leslie at a Glance
- Usage
- Used for both girls and boys
- Meaning
- Leslie is derived from a placename believed to mean “garden of hollies” in Scottish Gaelic.
- Origin
- Leslie is commonly associated with Scottish origin and is derived from a placename in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
- Pronunciation
- LES-lee · 2 syllables
Leslie Popularity in 2025
Rank#712
Recorded Births393
Rank#3,513
Recorded Births32
- Girls usage fell 107 places to #712 and recorded 103 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 512 places to #3,513 and recorded 9 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Leslie Mean?
Leslie is derived from a placename believed to mean “garden of hollies” in Scottish Gaelic.
Origin: Leslie is commonly associated with Scottish origin and is derived from a placename in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
How Do You Pronounce Leslie?
PronunciationLES-lee
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Leslie?
- History
- The name Leslie has been used in Scotland both as a surname and as a given name for males and females.
Leslie Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 393 | #712 |
| 2025 | Boys | 32 | #3,513 |
| 2024 | Girls | 496 | #605 |
| 2024 | Boys | 41 | #3,001 |
| 2023 | Girls | 440 | #670 |
| 2023 | Boys | 40 | #3,055 |
| 2022 | Girls | 453 | #651 |
| 2022 | Boys | 33 | #3,464 |
| 2021 | Girls | 477 | #623 |
| 2021 | Boys | 33 | #3,427 |
| 2020 | Girls | 488 | #595 |
| 2020 | Boys | 26 | #3,918 |
| 2019 | Girls | 572 | #536 |
| 2019 | Boys | 50 | #2,582 |
| 2018 | Girls | 601 | #521 |
| 2018 | Boys | 38 | #3,055 |
| 2017 | Girls | 704 | #449 |
| 2017 | Boys | 45 | #2,715 |
| 2016 | Girls | 807 | #413 |
| 2016 | Boys | 45 | #2,689 |
| 2015 | Girls | 880 | #371 |
| 2015 | Boys | 56 | #2,328 |
| 2014 | Girls | 1,000 | #338 |
| 2014 | Boys | 61 | #2,205 |
When Was Leslie Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1957 · Girls
6,103 recorded births
National rank #77
1958 · Girls
6,014 recorded births
National rank #79
1963 · Girls
5,857 recorded births
National rank #72
1969 · Girls
5,836 recorded births
National rank #64
Where Leslie Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| MD | #400 | 13 |
| IL | #417 | 25 |
| KY | #443 | 9 |
| TX | #471 | 69 |
| CA | #527 | 63 |
| OK | #546 | 7 |
| AZ | #632 | 10 |
| FL | #634 | 27 |