Name meaning & stats
Lesley
Lesley means “garden of hollies”. 37,512 US babies since 1940, peak 1980. Notable Lesleys are 1.2× over-represented as professors.
What it means
“garden of hollies”
Well documented
Originally a surname.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1980
37,512 US babies were named Lesley between 1940 and 2025.
Where Lesleys end up
Not enough notable Lesleys yet, so this uses the spelling family: Leslie, Lesley.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Actor | 1.0× | High · 52 people |
| Writer | 1.2× | High · 45 people |
| Politician | 1.0× | High · 29 people |
| Professor | 1.2× | High · 25 people |
Among notable women who are professors, the Leslie family show up 1.2× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Lesley has a surprise career: 1.6×
Spelling family
1 in 11 Leslies spell it Lesley
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1980)