Leslie is a unisex name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Leslie means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Leslie across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Leslie has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Leslie is a unisex name of Scottish (Gaelic) origin meaning “garden by the pool, holly garden”. originally a Scottish place name and surname.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 383,418 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 315 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 321 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 697 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 1,126 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Leslie per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1957 (8,199/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1970 (50/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (36/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1975 (36/yr).
Leslie has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1957, when it ranked #102 nationally (given to 8,199 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Lesley · Lesly · Leslee · Liesl · Lezlie · Lesli · Leslye · Lezlee
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →