Leigh
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Leigh is an English name meaning “clearing”. It is a common name, primarily used for girls, with 78.46% female usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Leigh
Leigh is a name of Old English origin, traditionally meaning a clearing or a meadow. The name derives from the word leah, which historically designated a glade or an area of pasture land within a forest. Over time, it transitioned from a topographical descriptor used in place names to a surname, and subsequently into a given name. Its development reflects the practice of utilizing landscape-based nomenclature to identify geographic locations and families.
Meaning Comments
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Gender Usage of the Name Leigh
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Leigh is primarily used as a name for girls. Approximately 78.46% of recorded bearers are female. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Leigh
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Leigh is listed under Common Girl Names worldwide. Its overall popularity is supported by stronger usage in United Kingdom across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Uncommon | 1 in every 69K births |
| United Kingdom | Common | 1 in every 3.8K births |
| Canada | Common | 1 in every 91K births |
| Australia | Popular | 1 in every 47K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Leigh ranked #9,304 on the Popular Girls’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It fell from #5,178 in 2024 — a drop of 4,126 places. Leigh shows meaningful recent movement in rank, though it remains uncommon overall.
Historically, its best recorded position was #142 in 1969. Its lowest recorded position was #9,638 in 2020. Over the last 5 years (2020–2025) the name rose 334 places (from #9,638 to #9,304).
Characteristics of the Name Leigh
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 1 syllable — One-Syllable Girl Names
- Length
- 5 letters — Medium-Length Girl Names
- Starts with
- L — Girl Names Starting with L
- Ends with
- h — Girl Names Ending in “h”
Name AestheticMethodology
Leigh consists of a single elongated vowel sound, creating an understated and breathy auditory experience. The name lacks specific, widely recognized individual cultural avatars, leaving it defined primarily by its minimalist phonetic brevity. Its light, airy profile aligns with a Soft & Gentle aesthetic.
Middle Names For Leigh
Middle names used with LeighMethodology
Leigh is most frequently used with these girl middle names: Leigh Ann · Leigh Anne · Leigh Anna · Leigh Ellen · Leigh ElizabethView all 558 girl middle names.
- Total 888 middle names used with Leigh
- 103 boy middle names used with Leigh
- 209 unisex middle names used with Leigh
Middle name suggestions for LeighMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Leigh is most frequently associated with girl middle names that have 2 syllables, Strong–Weak stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “l”.
Examples: Leigh Laura · Leigh Linda · Leigh Lasha · Leigh Lanae · Leigh Lucia. View all 261 suggested middle names.
Associations of the Name Leigh
Flower AssociationsMethodology
As one of the Flower-Inspired Girl Names, Leigh also appears as the common name of Leigh Wood's Whitebeam (Sorbus leighensis T.C.G.Rich) in the Rosaceae family.
Additional Natural MatchesMethodology
The complete dataset includes 1 biological record matching the name Leigh. Browse all matching record with their scientific names and taxonomic details.
Names Similar to Leigh
Sound Like Leigh Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Livia · Leigha · Liv · View all 58 names
Spelled Like Leigh Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Leigha · Leagh
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Linda · Lisa · Laura · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Leigh Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Mary · Dorothy · Emily · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Ruth · Grace · Joyce · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Leigh”
Dictionary Meaning of "Leigh"Methodology
alternative form of laughen
More Info
How to Spell Leigh in ASL
- L
- e
- i
- g
- h
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