Leigh
Boy / Girl name · 2,204 babies recorded · 1974–2025
Leigh: 2,204 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 129 births in 1977.
Originating as a variant of Lee, Leigh is an English surname-turned-first-name derived from the Old English *leah*, meaning a clearing in a woodland or a meadow. This connection to nature gives the name its gentle, pastoral quality. Notable bearers include Leigh Hunt, the 19th-century English essayist and poet who was a close friend of Keats and Shelley, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, the British singer best known as a member of the girl group Little Mix. The name's spelling is shared with Leigh, a post-industrial town in Greater Manchester, and also appears in the Scottish town of Leith, though that place has a different etymological root. For parents seeking an alternative to the more common Lee, this spelling offers a subtly softer touch while maintaining the same serene meaning.
Boy 25 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 198122 babies
- Latest (1999)
- #4103 babies
- Total births
- 281since 1974
- 5-year trend
- ▼ 40%vs prior 5y
Girl 42 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 1977129 babies
- Latest (2023)
- #7493 babies
- Total births
- 1,923since 1974
- 5-year trend
- ▼ 75%vs prior 5y