Leighton
Every Leighton since 1893 — 21,823 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Leighton
Leighton is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #342 in 2025 with 892 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1893, 21,823 American babies have been named Leighton — about 57% girls and 43% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2022, when 1,144 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Leighton stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Leighton year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 892 | #342 | 207 | #1,057 |
| 2024 | 797 | #397 | 213 | #1,044 |
| 2023 | 853 | #357 | 232 | #968 |
| 2022 | 842 | #376 | 302 | #823 |
| 2021 | 825 | #379 | 281 | #848 |
| 2020 | 777 | #401 | 327 | #743 |
| 2019 | 752 | #420 | 366 | #692 |
| 2018 | 712 | #449 | 269 | #830 |
| 2017 | 668 | #468 | 238 | #903 |
| 2016 | 756 | #430 | 268 | #842 |
| 2015 | 680 | #475 | 261 | #866 |
| 2014 | 568 | #544 | 241 | #896 |
| 2013 | 546 | #545 | 184 | #1,045 |
| 2012 | 521 | #565 | 184 | #1,045 |
| 2011 | 549 | #527 | 218 | #923 |
| 2010 | 452 | #648 | 217 | #930 |
| 2009 | 431 | #676 | 175 | #1,069 |
| 2008 | 213 | #1,196 | 159 | #1,144 |
| 2007 | 53 | #3,231 | 140 | #1,259 |
| 2006 | 37 | #4,050 | 146 | #1,158 |
| 2005 | 38 | #3,848 | 128 | #1,238 |
| 2004 | 32 | #4,343 | 99 | #1,430 |
| 2003 | 30 | #4,369 | 118 | #1,230 |
| 2002 | 30 | #4,234 | 128 | #1,126 |
| 2001 | 31 | #4,069 | 110 | #1,219 |
| 2000 | 37 | #3,562 | 102 | #1,277 |
| 1995 | 25 | #4,167 | 90 | #1,228 |
| 1990 | 8 | #9,782 | 71 | #1,323 |
| 1985 | 7 | #8,845 | 53 | #1,324 |
| 1980 | — | — | 41 | #1,511 |
| 1975 | — | — | 43 | #1,333 |
| 1970 | — | — | 25 | #1,770 |
| 1965 | — | — | 19 | #1,841 |
| 1960 | — | — | 37 | #1,311 |
| 1955 | — | — | 40 | #1,193 |
| 1950 | — | — | 42 | #1,096 |
| 1945 | — | — | 45 | #963 |
| 1940 | — | — | 40 | #1,028 |
| 1935 | — | — | 30 | #1,240 |
| 1930 | — | — | 43 | #1,063 |
| 1925 | — | — | 44 | #1,051 |
| 1920 | — | — | 42 | #1,100 |
| 1915 | — | — | 27 | #1,287 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 6 | #1,247 |
| 1895 | — | — | 5 | #1,178 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Leighton
- Leighton Meester Actor · b. 1986
- Leighton Baines Soccer player · b. 1984
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Leighton in 2025?
Leighton ranked #342 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 892 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Leighton?
21,823 babies have been named Leighton in the United States since 1893, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Leighton most popular?
Leighton peaked in 2022, when 1,144 newborns received the name.
Is Leighton a boy or girl name?
Leighton is used for both: about 57% of babies named Leighton have been girls and 43% boys.
Is the name Leighton rising or falling?
Leighton is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Leighton?
Well-known people named Leighton include Leighton Meester (actor), Leighton Baines (soccer player).