Total births
5,799
Girls' name · since 1946
Lesli
Since 1946, U.S. Social Security records show 5,799 babies named Lesli, peaking in 2001. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5639
- among girls today
- 5,799
- born since 1946
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 68%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Lesli is the #5639 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 5,799 recorded since 1946.
Lesli has 5,799 recorded births among girls since 1946, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #5639 as of the latest data, more common than 68% of girls, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1946 to 2025.
- #5639 among girls today
- 5,799 born since 1946
- 2000s peak decade
- 68% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Lesli is currently the #5639 girls' name in America, more common than 68% of girls - 5,799 born since 1946, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5639
- among girls today
- 5,799
- born since 1946
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 68%
- more common than other girls
Lesli vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#5639
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 68% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Lesli was born in this single decade.
2001
Single peak year
166 babies were named Lesli in 2001 - its busiest year on record.
How Lesli compares
5,799 Top 12% higher than 88% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Lesli's all-time total is 15x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Lesli | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,799 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 166 | 48 | 19,840 |
Lesli's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Lesli's SSA record in two at 1986 and the more recent half accounts for 46% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 54%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1948, with only 8 births recorded -- set against the 2001 peak of 166, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Lesli at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2001
Current rank
#5,639
Active since
1946
Lesli popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1946–2025
- Peak year (2001)
- 166
- Annual births at peak, across 80 years of records
Lesli by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Lesli's strongest decade.
1,420 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Lesli births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 50
1940s
50 births
- 1950s 480
1950s
480 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,190 births
- 1970s
1970s
997 births
- 1980s
1980s
623 births
- 1990s
1990s
640 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,420 births
- 2010s 305
2010s
305 births
- 2020s 94
2020s
94 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,420 births (24% of all-time use).
How Lesli compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Lesli's total volume
Lesli vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Lesli by state
Where Lesli concentrates geographically, total births since 1946
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 875 | 15.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 842 | 14.5% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 165 | 2.8% |
| #4 | Florida | | 101 | 1.7% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 90 | 1.6% |
| #6 | Oklahoma | | 89 | 1.5% |
| #7 | New York | | 82 | 1.4% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 76 | 1.3% |
California share of Lesli's total US births 15.1%
Even split
875 of 5,799 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 32 reporting states.
Lesli appears in 32 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Lesli? ▼
Since 1946, Social Security records show 5,799 babies named Lesli. Today it holds rank #5639 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2001, with 166 births.
When was Lesli most popular? ▼
Lesli was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,420 total births. The single peak year was 2001.
Where is Lesli most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Lesli are California (875 births), Texas (842 births), Illinois (165 births).
How long has the name Lesli been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Lesli since 1946 -- 80 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Lesli? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Leslie, Lesley, Lesly, Lessie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Lesli's data
- Lesli's decade-level peak was the 2000s (1,420 total births); usage has since declined to 94 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Leslis (875 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Lesli
Nearby Names Like Lesli
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lesli
Leslie Girl
#605 270,429 births
Lesley Girl
#4041 34,301 births
Lesly Girl
#1100 15,281 births
Lessie Girl
14,073 births
Lesa Girl
11,409 births
Compare Lesli side by side: Lesli vs Leslie Lesli vs Lesley Lesli vs Lesly
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lesli
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1946–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Lesli: #5639 Girls' Name - 5,799 Births, Peak 2001." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/lesli. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Lesli draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.