Emma Girl
EH-muh
“whole, universal” · Germanic
#3
Leigh
GirlEnglish, Old English· “meadow, clearing”
- Meaning
- meadow, clearing
- Origin
- English, Old English
- Pronunciation
- LEE
- Syllables
- 1
- US rank 2025
- #4,504
- US babies 2025
- 31
- Best rank
- #201 (1969)
- Peak year
- 1969
Meaning and origin of Leigh
Leigh is an English and Old English name that means “meadow, clearing”.
Leigh comes from the Old English leah, meaning meadow, clearing or wood, and it appears in countless English place names such as Ashley and Hadley. It began as a surname and was later used as a given name for both boys and girls, though it is now more common for girls. The actress Vivien Leigh, who played Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, gave the name a touch of glamour. It is pronounced LEE, just like Lee. Leigh often appears as a middle name, where its simplicity suits longer first names.
Popularity over time
Leigh first appears in US Social Security records in 1912. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 52 different years, starting in 1945. Its best national rank was #201 in 1969, the same year it reached its highest count of 1,564 babies. In 2025, 31 babies were named Leigh, and it ranked #4,504 nationally. That is 34% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #3,479 in 1920, #662 in 1950, #218 in 1980, #1,499 in 2000, #3,285 in 2010, and #4,504 in 2025. Of the 40,242 US girls named Leigh since records began, 28% were born in the 1970s, its biggest decade. The 1960s come next, with 10,705 babies. Since 2010, 766 more have been named Leigh.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Dina, Dena, Raquel, Tonia, and Deana.
Gender, sound and spelling
About 92% of US babies named Leigh over the last 20 years were girls, with a small share of boys.
Leigh is usually pronounced LEE, with one syllable. It has five letters, starts with L and ends in “-gh”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Lee, Lea, and Li.
Middle names for Leigh
A few middle names that flow with Leigh: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Leigh
Similar names
Dawn Girl
DAWN
“daybreak” · English
#2,174
Blythe Girl
BLYTH
“cheerful, carefree” · English
#2,052
Brooke Girl
BROOK
“small stream” · English
#313
Wren Girl
REHN
“wren, a small songbird” · English
#231
Kyleigh Girl
KY-lee
“variant of Kylie” · American (modern coinage)
#1,202
Lindsey Girl
LIHN-zee
“from Lindsey, 'island of Lincoln'” · English
#1,369
Whitney Girl
WIHT-nee
“white island” · Old English
#1,046
Joyce Girl
JOYS
“lord; from the Breton name Judoc” · Breton
#1,074
Ann Girl
AN
“grace, favor” · English
#1,076
Perry Unisex
PEH-ree
“pear tree” · English
#1,373
Beverly Girl
BEH-vur-lee
“beaver stream” · Old English
#1,018
Rae Girl
RAY
“ewe (short for Rachel)” · English
#1,306
Lists that include Leigh
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Leigh mean?
Leigh is an English and Old English name that means “meadow, clearing”.
What is the origin of the name Leigh?
Leigh has English and Old English roots. Leigh comes from the Old English leah, meaning meadow, clearing or wood, and it appears in countless English place names such as Ashley and Hadley.
Is Leigh a popular name?
Not especially. Leigh ranked #4,504 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Leigh a boy or girl name?
Leigh is mainly a girl's name. About 92% of US babies named Leigh over the last 20 years were girls, with a small share of boys.
How do you pronounce Leigh?
Leigh is usually pronounced LEE. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings