Leslie
From a placename in Aberdeenshire, originally Lesslyn, Scottish Gaelic lios cuileann (“garden of hollies”).
Every Leslie since 1880 — 383,418 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Leslie
Leslie is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #712 in 2025 with 393 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 383,418 American babies have been named Leslie — about 71% girls and 29% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1957, when 8,199 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Leslie stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Leslie 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 | 393 | #712 | 32 | #3,563 |
| 2024 | 496 | #606 | 41 | #3,024 |
| 2023 | 440 | #670 | 40 | #3,094 |
| 2022 | 453 | #653 | 33 | #3,505 |
| 2021 | 477 | #625 | 33 | #3,462 |
| 2020 | 488 | #596 | 26 | #3,982 |
| 2019 | 572 | #536 | 50 | #2,610 |
| 2018 | 601 | #521 | 38 | #3,081 |
| 2017 | 704 | #449 | 45 | #2,742 |
| 2016 | 807 | #414 | 45 | #2,708 |
| 2015 | 880 | #371 | 56 | #2,338 |
| 2014 | 1,000 | #338 | 61 | #2,222 |
| 2013 | 1,111 | #288 | 36 | #3,100 |
| 2012 | 1,226 | #266 | 50 | #2,508 |
| 2011 | 1,286 | #247 | 54 | #2,364 |
| 2010 | 1,565 | #199 | 47 | #2,613 |
| 2009 | 1,983 | #160 | 76 | #1,906 |
| 2008 | 2,326 | #147 | 76 | #1,912 |
| 2007 | 2,690 | #127 | 82 | #1,790 |
| 2006 | 3,036 | #108 | 82 | #1,720 |
| 2005 | 3,123 | #103 | 102 | #1,448 |
| 2004 | 3,501 | #93 | 90 | #1,498 |
| 2003 | 3,639 | #91 | 101 | #1,353 |
| 2002 | 3,522 | #91 | 96 | #1,377 |
| 2001 | 3,612 | #84 | 125 | #1,126 |
| 2000 | 3,623 | #90 | 137 | #1,050 |
| 1995 | 2,313 | #137 | 186 | #787 |
| 1990 | 2,827 | #115 | 295 | #584 |
| 1985 | 3,607 | #76 | 331 | #476 |
| 1980 | 4,776 | #61 | 507 | #354 |
| 1975 | 4,105 | #71 | 680 | #281 |
| 1970 | 5,622 | #64 | 1,013 | #234 |
| 1965 | 4,875 | #75 | 1,419 | #180 |
| 1960 | 5,242 | #92 | 1,672 | #185 |
| 1955 | 4,405 | #99 | 2,232 | #138 |
| 1950 | 2,329 | #134 | 2,132 | #126 |
| 1945 | 1,704 | #142 | 1,975 | #115 |
| 1940 | 254 | #427 | 1,370 | #136 |
| 1935 | 161 | #502 | 1,222 | #131 |
| 1930 | 132 | #604 | 1,237 | #139 |
| 1925 | 139 | #624 | 1,518 | #119 |
| 1920 | 92 | #759 | 1,592 | #110 |
| 1915 | 88 | #715 | 1,409 | #106 |
| 1910 | 52 | #574 | 313 | #102 |
| 1905 | 35 | #591 | 237 | #94 |
| 1900 | 30 | #646 | 275 | #91 |
| 1895 | 22 | #672 | 235 | #81 |
| 1890 | 20 | #590 | 181 | #96 |
| 1885 | 10 | #719 | 122 | #112 |
| 1880 | 8 | #655 | 79 | #167 |
Famous people named Leslie
- Leslie Nielsen Actor · 1926–2010
- Leslie Howard Actor · 1893–1943
- Leslie Cheung Musician · 1956–2003
- Leslie Groves Engineer · 1896–1970
- Leslie White Anthropologist · 1900–1971
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Leslie mean?
From a placename in Aberdeenshire, originally Lesslyn, Scottish Gaelic lios cuileann (“garden of hollies”).
How popular is the name Leslie in 2025?
Leslie ranked #712 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 393 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Leslie?
383,418 babies have been named Leslie in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Leslie most popular?
Leslie peaked in 1957, when 8,199 newborns received the name.
Is Leslie a boy or girl name?
Leslie is used for both: about 71% of babies named Leslie have been girls and 29% boys.
Is the name Leslie rising or falling?
Leslie is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Leslie?
Well-known people named Leslie include Leslie Nielsen (actor), Leslie Howard (actor), Leslie Cheung (musician).