
The short answer
Leland is a masculine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From a surname, originally from an English place name, which meant ‘fallow land’ in Old English. A famous bearer was the politician, businessman and Stanford University founder Leland Stanford (1824-1893)." It ranked #494 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from a surname, originally from an English place name, which meant ‘fallow land’ in Old English. A famous bearer was the politician, businessman and Stanford University founder Leland Stanford (1824-1893). The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Leland ranked #494 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #494 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Leland in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Leland mean?
Leland means "fallow land", according to Behind the Name.
Is Leland a popular name?
Leland ranked #494 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Leland a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Leland appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Leland — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.