Leighton Unisex

Popularity: #321 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LAY-ton /ˈleɪtən/

Origin: English; Old English

Meaning: From the meadow town; dwelling by the meadow

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Leighton has its roots in Old English, derived from the elements "leah," meaning "clearing" or "meadow," and "tun," meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This etymology suggests that the name originally referred to a settlement near a meadow or clearing. The name appears in various forms throughout history, with early instances recorded in England, particularly in the context of place names.

The transition into personal names occurred as surnames began to evolve into given names during the Middle Ages, particularly from the 12th century onward. Historically, Leighton has been associated with several notable figures and locations.

One significant milestone is the use of the name in the context of English nobility, where it was often linked to various estates and regions, such as Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire. The name also appears in historical records as a surname, which was common practice in England, particularly from the 13th century.

The surname Leighton was borne by several prominent families, contributing to its recognition and usage as a given name. Culturally, Leighton carries connotations of pastoral beauty and tranquility, reflecting its etymological roots in nature.

The name has been used in literature and art, often evoking imagery of serene landscapes. Additionally, the name has variations and diminutives, such as Leigh, which have also been used historically.

The enduring appeal of Leighton can be attributed to its melodic sound and the picturesque associations it invokes, making it a name that resonates with themes of nature and heritage.

Famous people named Leighton

In this section, you will find notable people named Leighton. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Leighton who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Leighton who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Leighton Meester is an actress and singer best known for Gossip Girl, Country Strong, and The Roommate.

Leighton Baines is a former professional footballer best known for his time at Everton and the England national team.

Fictional characters named Leighton

The following list of fictional characters named Leighton is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Leighton Meester is a fictional character from the TV series Gossip Girl. She is a prominent socialite and one of the main characters, known for her complex relationships and personal growth throughout the series.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Leighton, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

LilaLaylaLeahLenaLydiaLuna

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Leighton. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

KaitlynMeganAveryMadisonPaigeSloaneTaylorJordan

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Leighton was first seen in the United States in 1893.

Leighton has ranked as high as #592 nationally, which occurred in 2022, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Leighton has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Leighton is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Leighton was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Leighton.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,099 207 892
2024 1,010 213 797
2023 1,085 232 853
2022 1,144 302 842
2021 1,106 281 825
2020 1,104 327 777
2019 1,118 366 752
2018 981 269 712
2017 906 238 668
2016 1,024 268 756
2015 941 261 680
2014 809 241 568
2013 730 184 546
2012 705 184 521
2011 767 218 549
2010 669 217 452
2009 606 175 431
2008 372 159 213
2007 193 140 53
2006 183 146 37
2005 166 128 38
2004 131 99 32
2003 148 118 30
2002 158 128 30
2001 141 110 31
2000 139 102 37
1999 140 106 34
1998 142 107 35
1997 133 91 42
1996 144 111 33
1995 115 90 25
1994 113 98 15
1993 98 91 7
1992 131 115 16
1991 90 78 12
1990 79 71 8
1989 86 77 9
1988 68 61 7
1987 58 49 9
1986 59 50 9
1985 60 53 7
1984 58 52 6
1983 62 57 5
1982 58 53 5
1981 56 56 0
1980 41 41 0
1979 58 58 0
1978 43 43 0
1977 31 31 0
1976 41 41 0
1975 43 43 0
1974 41 41 0
1973 40 40 0
1972 33 33 0
1971 34 34 0
1970 25 25 0
1969 39 39 0
1968 34 34 0
1967 27 27 0
1966 27 27 0
1965 19 19 0
1964 21 21 0
1963 40 40 0
1962 38 38 0
1961 26 26 0
1960 37 37 0
1959 28 28 0
1958 25 25 0
1957 31 31 0
1956 53 47 6
1955 40 40 0
1954 42 42 0
1953 42 42 0
1952 48 48 0
1951 38 38 0
1950 42 42 0
1949 41 41 0
1948 34 34 0
1947 36 36 0
1946 53 53 0
1945 45 45 0
1944 47 47 0
1943 43 43 0
1942 47 47 0
1941 37 37 0
1940 40 40 0
1939 33 33 0
1938 40 40 0
1937 26 26 0
1936 35 35 0
1935 30 30 0
1934 33 33 0
1933 26 26 0
1932 38 38 0
1931 45 45 0
1930 43 43 0
1929 42 42 0
1928 40 40 0
1927 36 36 0
1926 36 36 0
1925 44 44 0
1924 49 49 0
1923 58 58 0
1922 45 45 0
1921 48 48 0
1920 42 42 0
1919 31 31 0
1918 44 44 0
1917 40 40 0
1916 31 31 0
1915 27 27 0
1914 29 29 0
1913 17 17 0
1912 20 20 0
1911 8 8 0
1909 7 7 0
1908 11 11 0
1907 7 7 0
1900 6 6 0
1899 6 6 0
1898 5 5 0
1895 5 5 0
1893 5 5 0

Top States for Leighton (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 113
12%
CA 49
5%
TN 46
5%
FL 45
5%
NC 44
5%
AL 37
4%
OH 36
4%
WI 33
4%
GA 33
4%
MI 33
4%
CO 30
3%
IN 28
3%
KY 24
3%
PA 24
3%
IL 24
3%
SC 23
2%
NY 22
2%
AZ 22
2%
MO 21
2%
IA 20
2%
LA 19
2%
NE 19
2%
VA 19
2%
MN 19
2%
AR 18
2%
OK 17
2%
WA 16
2%
MS 15
2%
ID 14
2%
MA 13
1%
NJ 8
1%
KS 8
1%
OR 7
1%
MD 7
1%
WV 7
1%
ME 6
1%
UT 5
1%