What does Leighton mean?

From the meadow town; dwelling by the meadow

Is Leighton a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Leighton is commonly used as a Unisex name.

How popular is Leighton?

It’s currently ranked #354 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

Leighton Unisex

Popularity: #712 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationLAY-ton / /ˈleɪtən/

English; Old English

Meaning

English: meadow settlement; Old English: leah (clearing) + tun (enclosure)

Historical & Cultural Background

Leighton is derived from Old English roots, primarily used as a surname before becoming a given name. It is often associated with various places in England, particularly in Yorkshire. The name has gained popularity in modern times, particularly in English-speaking countries.

Trend Summary

Leighton has seen a steady increase in popularity in the United States over the past two decades.

Variants

Leyton

International Variants

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Famous people named Leighton

Leighton Meester is an American actress and singer known for her role as Blair Waldorf on the television series 'Gossip Girl'.

Leighton Baines is a retired English footballer who played as a left-back for Everton and the England national team.

Fictional characters named Leighton

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Sibling Suggestions

Landon Liam Logan Luca Lyle

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Leighton was first seen in the United States in 1893. Leighton has ranked as high as #1011 nationally, which occurred in 2019, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Florida, New York, and Minnesota. In the past 5 years the name Leighton has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Leighton (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	24	16%
FL	14	9%
CA	12	8%
OH	8	5%
MI	7	5%
MO	7	5%
WI	7	5%
IN	7	5%
AL	6	4%
MS	6	4%
NC	6	4%
NE	6	4%
GA	6	4%
NY	6	4%
IA	6	4%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1893	5
1895	5
1898	5
1899	6
1900	6
1907	7
1908	11
1909	7
1911	8
1912	20
1913	17
1914	29
1915	27
1916	31
1917	40
1918	44
1919	31
1920	42
1921	48
1922	45
1923	58
1924	49
1925	44
1926	36
1927	36
1928	40
1929	42
1930	43
1931	45
1932	38
1933	26
1934	33
1935	30
1936	35
1937	26
1938	40
1939	33
1940	40
1941	37
1942	47
1943	43
1944	47
1945	45
1946	53
1947	36
1948	34
1949	41
1950	42
1951	38
1952	48
1953	42
1954	42
1955	40
1956	47
1957	31
1958	25
1959	28
1960	37
1961	26
1962	38
1963	40
1964	21
1965	19
1966	27
1967	27
1968	34
1969	39
1970	25
1971	34
1972	33
1973	40
1974	41
1975	43
1976	41
1977	31
1978	43
1979	58
1980	41
1981	56
1982	53
1983	57
1984	52
1985	53
1986	50
1987	49
1988	61
1989	77
1990	71
1991	78
1992	115
1993	91
1994	98
1995	90
1996	111
1997	91
1998	107
1999	106
2000	102
2001	110
2002	128
2003	118
2004	99
2005	128
2006	146
2007	140
2008	159
2009	175
2010	217
2011	218
2012	184
2013	184
2014	240
2015	261
2016	267
2017	238
2018	269
2019	366
2020	326
2021	281
2022	302
2023	232
2024	213