Meaning and background
The story behind Lesley
Lesley is an established English spelling variant of Leslie, a name taken from a Scottish surname and an Aberdeenshire place. The place-name may derive from Gaelic elements interpreted as a garden of holly, though that explanation is qualified rather than certain. Lesley is used for both sexes, and the spelling alone does not dictate a particular gender. English speakers may say either LEZ-lee or LESS-lee.
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About Lesley
Recorded as a dog’s name
Lesley appears in 2 dog licence records in the 2023 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/lɛsli/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/lɛsli/ · primary stress on syllable 1L EH1 S L IY0
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.