Lesslie as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Lesslie

What is the meaning of the name Lesslie ?

The baby name Lesslie is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced LEZ-lee (IPA: /ˈlɛzli/; alternate: /ˈlɛsli/).

Lesslie is Scottish in Origin.

Lesslie is a modern respelling of Leslie/Lesley, a Scottish toponymic surname turned given name. It traces to the barony of Leslie in Aberdeenshire, seat of Clan Leslie. The ultimate meaning is debated; traditional folk etymologies gloss it as “holly garden” or “garden by the holly,” while others link it more generally to a Gaelic term for an enclosed garden or fort. In any case, the name has long been used for all genders.

As a given name, Leslie/Lesley spread from Scotland into wider Britain by the 18th-19th centuries and crossed to North America soon after. In the United States it was masculine early on, then became notably feminine in the mid-20th century, while the spelling Lesley remained common for girls in the UK. Related forms and variants include Leslie, Lesley, Leslee, Lesli, Lesly, Lessly, Lesleigh, and Lessie; short form Les. Lesslie keeps the classic sound with a distinctive, rare twist.