Leslie
Boy name · #3513 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Leslie? In official American birth records, Leslie has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Leslie is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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 too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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
How old is the name Leslie?
In official American birth records, the name Leslie first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 79 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.