Leslie
Boy name · #3513 in 2025 · Uniqueness 71/100
Leslie ranks #3513 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 32 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2328, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 56,250 boys born in 2025 was named Leslie.
Babies named Leslie per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Leslie first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 79 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1952, when 2,358 boys were named Leslie — good for #125 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Leslie against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Leslie in class?
Leslie scores 71 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Leslie will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Leslie is most common
State-level data for Leslie is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Leslie
Statistically, parents drawn to Leslie tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Willie, Lonnie, Tommie, Jackie, and Donnie.
WillieLonnieTommieJackieDonnieStevieJimmieRobbie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Leslie | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | #3513 |
| 2024 | 41 | #3001 |
| 2023 | 40 | #3055 |
| 2022 | 33 | #3464 |
| 2021 | 33 | #3427 |
| 2020 | 26 | #3918 |
| 2019 | 50 | #2582 |
| 2018 | 38 | #3055 |
| 2017 | 45 | #2715 |
| 2016 | 45 | #2689 |
| 2015 | 56 | #2328 |
| 2014 | 61 | #2205 |
| 2013 | 36 | #3060 |
| 2012 | 50 | #2488 |
| 2011 | 54 | #2346 |
| 2010 | 47 | #2579 |
| 2009 | 76 | #1889 |
| 2008 | 76 | #1899 |
| 2007 | 82 | #1781 |
| 2006 | 82 | #1713 |
| 2005 | 102 | #1442 |
| 2004 | 90 | #1491 |
| 2003 | 101 | #1348 |
| 2002 | 96 | #1372 |
| 2001 | 125 | #1123 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Leslie a popular boy name?
Leslie ranked #3513 among boys in 2025 with 32 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2328.
When was the name Leslie most popular?
Leslie peaked in 1952, when 2,358 American boys received the name (ranked #125 that year). Since 1952 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Leslie?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 56,250 newborn American boys was named Leslie. It scores 71/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.