Find out how popular the first name Leslee has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Leslee by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Leslee is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 98% of people named Leslee being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 7 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Leslee.

The history of the first name Leslee

The name Leslee originated as a variation of the French name Leslie, which itself derived from the Old Breton name Lezri. This name traces its roots back to the 7th century and the ancient Brittonic language spoken in parts of what is now France and Great Britain.

Lezri is thought to have evolved from the Celtic elements "les" meaning courtyard or mansion, and "ri" meaning king or prince. Thus, the original meaning of Lezri was likely something akin to "prince of the court" or "mansion ruler." Over time, the name morphed into spellings like Lessillieth and eventually Leslie.

One of the earliest known records of the name Leslie appears in the 11th century Domesday Book, a great census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. An individual named Lesceline is listed as a landholder in Lincolnshire, England around this time.

In the 12th century, the Scottish clan Leslie emerged as a powerful noble family, their name derived from the lands of Leslie in Aberdeenshire. Notable members include Sir Andrew Leslie (c. 1380-1480), a military commander who fought for the Scottish crown.

The variant spelling Leslee first appeared in the 16th century, though it remained quite rare for several hundred years. One early bearer was Leslee Fayre (1553-1612), an English landowner and magistrate in Gloucestershire.

In the 19th century, American writer Leslee Woodworth Frost (1857-1937) helped popularize the name through her literary works. Other historically significant figures include British actress Leslee Lee Smith (1892-1968) and American baseball player Leslee Freye (1905-1987).

While less common than the standard Leslie, Leslee maintained a distinct identity as a feminine given name. Notable examples from the 20th century include Canadian author Leslee Lusk (1908-1986), British actress Leslee Martin (1914-2012), and American singer Leslee McGregor (1923-2010).

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Leslee was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Leslee, please contact us.

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