Unisex name
Leslie name meaning
“Garden of holly”
Leslie means “garden of holly.” It developed from a Scottish place name into a surname and then a given name, with Gaelic leas supplying the garden or enclosure element. In Türkiye, it is used for both genders. Its imagery evokes a garden bordered by glossy holly shrubs.
- Gender
- ♂♀ Unisex
- Origin
- European languages
- Syllables
- 3
- Popularity
- Rare
What does Leslie mean?
Garden of holly
In Turkish: Çobanpüskülü bahçesi
Leslie carries the image of a garden associated with evergreen holly. Its principal cultural background lies in Scottish place-names and surnames. It is used in Turkish as a borrowed given name, while the spelling Lesley belongs to the same name family and shares its historical associations.
Origin of the name Leslie
Leslie developed from a Scottish place-name into a surname and then a given name. A common explanation connects it with Gaelic leas, 'garden, enclosure', and an element referring to holly, although the interpretation of the early place-name forms is uncertain.
| Linguistic origin | European languages |
|---|---|
| Is Leslie in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | L · Le |
How to pronounce Leslie
| Syllables | 3 · 6 letters · 6-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /leslie/ |
Is Leslie a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Leslie is used for both boys and girls. See all unisex names.
Leslie does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Leslie
Names with related meanings
- Defne♀Bay laurel, an aromatic evergreen tree
- Asel♀Honey, the sweet substance made by bees
- Lina♀A kind of date palm
- Eylül♀September
- Poyraz♂The cool, strong northeasterly wind
- Kuzey♂North
- Nehir♀River, large flowing stream
- Çınar♂Plane tree
- Ada♀İsland
- Ceylin♀Gazelle
- Ayaz♂Sharp dry cold under clear skies
- Doğa♀Nature
FAQ about the name Leslie
What is the meaning of Leslie?
Leslie means “Garden of holly”. Leslie developed from a Scottish place-name into a surname and then a given name. A common explanation connects it with Gaelic leas, 'garden, enclosure', and an element referring to holly, although the interpretation of the early place-name forms is uncertain.
Is Leslie a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Leslie is used for both boys and girls.
Is Leslie in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Leslie nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Leslie?
Leslie is of European languages origin.
How many syllables does Leslie have?
Leslie has 3 syllables and 6 letters.
How popular is the name Leslie?
Leslie does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025).
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm11901 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake