ChatGPT
Claude
Gemini
Perplexity
The short answer
Leslie is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably from Gaelic leas celyn meaning ‘garden of holly’. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century." It ranked #712 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably from Gaelic leas celyn meaning ‘garden of holly’. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Leslie ranked #712 for girls 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 | #712 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Leslie in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Leslie mean?
Leslie means "garden of holly", according to Behind the Name.
Is Leslie a popular name?
Leslie ranked #712 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Leslie a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Leslie appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine & masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Leslie — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
