Leighton
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Leighton is an Old English name meaning “meadow town”. It is a popular name, used by both boys and girls.
Meaning & Origin of the name Leighton
Leighton is a name of Old English origin meaning 'meadow town'. It is constructed from the roots 'leah', referring to a clearing or meadow, and 'tun', indicating an enclosed settlement or town. While historically utilized as a locational surname, the name transitioned into use as a personal given name in later centuries.
Meaning Comments
- Kakashi1864: The name comes from Wales and generaly considered to mean a herb dweller.
- Vg6z2ygbn_7: Some surnames should stay as surnames, Leighton is one of them. Also this name doesn't sound feminine at all.
- Wherezmamaul: Horrible, old fashioned, and ugly.
Gender Usage of the Name Leighton
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Leighton is generally considered a unisex name, although one gender is somewhat more common. Current records show 62.54% male and 37.46% female bearers. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Leighton
Leighton is among the Top 26 Trending Unisex name Worldwide for 2026
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
Leighton is listed under Popular Unisex Names worldwide. Its popularity is relatively consistent across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Common | 1 in every 4.0K births |
| United Kingdom | Popular | 1 in every 2.7K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 9.3K births |
| Australia | Common | 1 in every 147K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Leighton ranked #45 on the Popular Unisex Names Worldwide List (2025). It rose from #52 in 2024 — an improvement of 7 places. A widely recognized choice, Leighton has maintained a steady Top-100 presence.
Historically, its best recorded position was #15, achieved in 1974 and 1976. Its lowest recorded position was #191 in 1985. Over recent years the ranking has shown little net change and remained relatively stable around #45.
Name StyleMethodology
Leighton is classified as Timeless Unisex Names because it appears across 100% of recorded years, averages 689 births per year over its full timeline, and still averages 1,358 births per year recently.Characteristics of the Name Leighton
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Unisex Names
- Length
- 8 letters — Long Unisex Names
- Starts with
- L — Unisex Names Starting with L
- Ends with
- n — Unisex Names Ending in “n”
Name AestheticMethodology
Leighton consists of two syllables with a clear, clipped finish. It is frequently associated with Leighton Meester, which defines its current Preppy & Posh status in popular media. The crisp t-stop gives the name a precise, polished auditory profile.
Middle Names For Leighton
Middle names used with LeightonMethodology
Leighton is most frequently used with these unisex middle names: Leighton Jennings · Leighton Parks · Leighton Tate · Leighton Mcdonald · Leighton OsborneView all 29 unisex middle names.
- Total 109 middle names used with Leighton
- 52 boy middle names used with Leighton
- 27 girl middle names used with Leighton
Middle name suggestions for LeightonMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Leighton is most frequently associated with unisex middle names that have 2 syllables, Strong–Weak stress pattern, 6 letters, and a starting sound of “l”.
Examples: Leighton Leslie · Leighton Lawson · Leighton Lavern · Leighton Layton · Leighton Latham. View all 191 suggested middle names.
Associations of the Name Leighton
Natural Name MatchesMethodology
The complete dataset includes 2 biological records matching the name Leighton. None belong to the curated biological families used to classify Flower-, Tree-, or Bird-Inspired Names. These records are provided for reference only.
Names Similar to Leighton
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Leslie · Laurence · Loren · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Leighton Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Peyton · Quinn · Rowan · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Taylor · Jamie · Leslie · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Leighton”
Dictionary Meaning of "Leighton"Methodology
A habitational surname from Old English
A unisex given name transferred from the surname
A number of places in the United Kingdom
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- A civil parish in Huntingdonshire district, Cambridgeshire, England, which includes Leighton Bromswold.
- A civil parish (served by Leighton, Minshull Vernon and Woolstanwood Parish Council) in Cheshire East, Cheshire, England.
- A hamlet in Healey parish, North Yorkshire, England, previously in Harrogate district (OS grid ref SE1679).
- A village in Leighton and Eaton Constantine parish, Shropshire, England (OS grid ref SJ6105).
- A hamlet in Wanstrow parish, Somerset, England (OS grid ref ST7043).
- A small village in Forden with Leighton and Trelystan community, Powys, Wales (OS grid ref SJ2405).
A place in the United States
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- A town in Colbert County, Alabama.
- A minor city in Mahaska County, Iowa.
- Leighton Township, a township in Allegan County, Michigan.
A coastal area in North Fremantle, City of Fremantle, Perth, Western Australia
More Info
How to Spell Leighton in ASL
- L
- e
- i
- g
- h
- t
- o
- n
Comments on the name Leighton
Community CommentsShowing 5 of 11 comments
Jeffhardy486
The name Leighton was given to 261 boys born in the US in 2016.
Kerm132kerm
The name Leighton was given to 181 baby boys born in the US in 2012.
Gorilla_wpww
Until I heard someone say it, I assumed this name was pronounced Lee-tin. The people I've heard say it call it Lie-tin. Do other people pronounce Leighton like Brighton or Leighton like Kristin? I think it's hard to pronounce and not my style.
Morka_flame
This name can be pronounced LAY-ton or LEE-ton.
Deadlylove32
Lord Frederic Leighton was a British Neoclassical Painter and Sculptor.