Meaning: Holly garden; or grey fortress; variant spelling of Leslie, from Scottish Gaelic lios (garden, enclosure) + cuilinn (holly)Medium
In 30 seconds: A spelling variant of Leslie, the Scottish place-name surname meaning 'holly garden' or 'grey fortress.' The -y spelling is particularly common in Spanish-speaking communities as an intuitive phonetic rendering.
Lesly is a variant spelling of Leslie, from the Scottish place name Leslie in Aberdeenshire, believed to derive from Scottish Gaelic lios (garden, enclosure) and cuilinn (holly). It became a Scottish surname and then a given name.
Lesly is used primarily in Hispanic communities in the U.S. as a phonetic Spanish rendering of Leslie. It ranked #1100 for girls in 2024.
Did you know? Leslie was primarily a male name — borne by famous men like Leslie Howard and Leslie Nielsen — until the 1940s, when it began its decisive shift to a female name in the United States.
Overall data confidence 80%
Behind the Name — Leslie — Scottish Gaelic etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data
Variations
LeslieLesleyLeslee
Nicknames
Les
Famous Bearers
Famous bearers coming soon.
If you like Lesly…
Leslie— the standard spelling of the same Scottish name
Ashley— two-syllable -ley Old English surname popular for girls
Kelsey— two-syllable -sey surname name from the same naming era
Lindsey— two-syllable -sey surname name popular for girls in the same period
