Lesley

Lesley is a gender-neutral unisex first name that is considered a variation of Leslie. The name has its roots in a Scottish family name that can be traced back to the locality 'Lesslyn' in Aberdeenshire.

What does the name Lesley mean?

Lesley is considered a unisex name and represents a variant of Leslie. It has its origin in a Scottish family name linked to the place name 'Lesslyn' in Aberdeenshire. The English translation of the name is 'the garden with holly' as well as 'from the green meadow'. These meanings come from the Old Irish words leas for 'garden' and cuilenn or celyn for 'holly'. Other variants include Lesly, Lessie, and Lesleigh.

Where does the name Lesley come from?

The etymology of Lesley is both male and female and has Old Irish roots meaning 'the garden with holly'. The Old Irish components consist of leas for 'garden' and cuilenn or celyn for 'holly'. Languages: English.

How do you pronounce Lesley?

The sound and pronunciation of Lesley: The name is two syllables and has a relaxed rhythm. It is pronounced as 'Les-ley' [ˈlɛzli] or [ˈlɛsli], with a short, open 'e' at the beginning. The voiced or voiceless 's' creates a fine acoustic friction. The ending '-ley' flows softly and smoothly. This gives Lesley a modern and uncomplicated impression - friendly and dynamic in sound.

Popularity

In Germany, Lesley is a common first name. The name currently ranks 4,045th in the list of the most common female first names. Its best placement was in 2008 at 1,636th. In the past ten years, Lesley has been given as a first name about 50 times, placing it 3,798th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, the name ranks 4,283rd.

Nicknames & pet names

Eli / Lelly / Les / Lessi / Lessy / Lesy

Similar first names

Famous people

• Denis Lesley McSwiney (architect from Singapore)
• Lesley Bannatyne (writer from the USA)
• Lesley Clifford (British cricketer)
• Lesley Collier (English ballet dancer)
• Lesley de Sa (Dutch footballer)
• Lesley Dill (American artist)
• Lesley Dyer (film producer from Australia)
• Lesley Felomina (footballer)
• Lesley Hunt (Australian tennis player)
• Lesley Jackson (English historian)
• Lesley Jennifer Higl (actress)
• Lesley Johnston (Australian cricketer)
• Lesley Judd (dancer from the UK)
• Lesley Langley (model from England)
• Lesley Lebkowicz (Australian poet)
• Lesley Lewis (Australian writer)
• Lesley Locke (British footballer)
• Lesley Meguid (American singer)
• Lesley Milroy (American linguist)
• Lesley Mobo (English designer)