Leslie

I'm a man who has the name "Leslie". Honestly, I've grown to like my name and I find it suiting. In middle school I did get a lot of comments about "isn't Leslie a girl's name?" and it did make me feel bad at the moment but I never got relentlessly teased about it. (More questioned and then never questioned about it again after they get the answer they want).
Leslie isn't an overly masculine name but it isn't entirely feminine either. It has room for potential for a guy.
I've been called Wesley and Les in the past and it's been nice.

This name is a torch that lights the way in the darkness. I am bright coming out of the closet and my name helped me do that.

I just don't understand the reason why many people have written negative comments on this name and/or made suffer people named Leslie who want to change their name because they are exhausted with mockeries based on their name. All names should be respected, if you don't like a name you can just write "I don't like it." or "It's not among my favorites." or stuff like that. You shouldn't comment using jokes, especially on delicate topics. Leslies do not have to be offended and deserve to be respected, just like people bearing all the other names.
If your name is Leslie and you are reading this, know that your name has both wonderful sound and meaning. It's light, easy and modern. And if someone jokes you and calls you "lesbian" or other insults, explain to them what Leslie really means. If they get on insulting, well, those aren't the right people for you.
If instead you are considering naming your child Leslie, do it. It's a nice, meaningful and euphonic name. Don't care about ignorant and jealous people who mock someone basing on their names.

Leslie is my mother's name, and it's always been so beautiful to me. I also love it as a masculine name, striking and unusual.

Leslie is a lovely name for either gender.

My first name is Eloise, and my middle name is Leslie, I kinda want to go by Leslie because I absolutely despise my name for some reason. Idea, also thought about going by Elodie but I really don't know because it's very hard to find a nickname for my name.

Leslie to me is a nice name. However, for a man it makes me think of a middle aged fat republican politician with outdated and offensive opinions about women who gets expelled from their local city council position for calling the workers of his town lazy bums.

I really love this name. One of the best.

Huh, I had no clue this was a feminine name. Seems pretty masculine to me. I think most people would probably see it as feminine rather than masculine though ‒ if you named your son Leslie you'd probably get quite a few weird looks! I wouldn't name a child of either gender this name. It's a perfectly fine name for a boy ‒ at least to me, I don't think most people would think that ‒ but it's not my cup of tea, and to me it sounds weird on a girl.

Leslie is a very pretty name! I'd probably spell it Lesley for a boy, but even then, people would probably assume him to be a girl.

I have a bunch of things to say when I hear the word Leslie. Well let's start off, my name is Leslie. I'm 14 and I cannot stand the name Leslie. I have been bullied from age 7-14 and it goes on. There are so many people who call me names and I just can't stand it, I know people say ignore it, tell a teacher, be the better person, stand up to them- in any way. Nothing works. I used to think nothing of it until I went to this babysitting place at 5, they called me a boy, lesbian. And so much more. Keep in mind there was a teenager who was like 18 working there who agreed to these teenagers who were being brats. Then it was boys and girls at school. Not much has come besides not liking my name, I want to switch it but I know my sisters, which I have 3, will make fun of me or just call me by Leslie. I'm not the age to switch it, also there are no buts to this subject. Nothing ever good has come from my name, and I just liked to share my comment for anyone else to see.

Hi everyone. My name is Leslie (this spelling at birth), the name Leslie has been the burden I've had to deal with. It has never served me in a positive light not because of me but because the name alone is on a sliding scale. Male or female? It's not a cute name for a girl and it's not a masculine name for a man.
I tried to be okay with the name by changing the spelling to Lesleigh when I got married. Which did nothing but make me explain my name because some grown adults have forgotten the gh is silent so they never pronounce it right. I should not have to explain my own name to people. My own family call me Less and I hate that even more. Leslie does not come with nickname options for example: Jessica- Jessi,Jessa, or Jess. Nicole- Nikki. Amanda- Mandy.
If you are thinking of naming your child Leslie please DO NOT do that to your child they will be cursed with a negative image and they will be bullied in school. Even in my adult life I still receive negative comments just because of the name not because of who I am. Please do not name your child Leslie (spelling does not make a difference). Now 36 years later I will be completely changing my name legally because I can't take the stigma anymore, I'm ready for people to see me for me, not my name first.

Hello everyone! My name is also Leslie and I am glad that you all like the name Leslie because at first I did not like the name but then I saw all of these comments and then I just fell in love with the name.

It isn’t overdone like Lesleigh, it isn’t underdone like Lesly, it’s perfect!

I'm actually low-key considering naming one of my sons Leslie (first or middle) after Les Claypool. He's such a god of a bassist.

I can honestly say I hate my name! My mother thought I was going to be a boy and thank God I was not. For most of my life I was teased horribly. I was called Leslie the lesbo and other derogatory names. I am much older now and it is too late to change it. But I have gotten accustomed to the name and eventually learned to except it. Most of family just say Leslie. My friends call me Liz or Les depending how close we are. So please do not name your child Leslie.

I can’t see this as a masculine name at all.

An unappealing name for a girl, and a ridiculous girly-man name for a boy. Just skip this one. Your child will thank you for it.

My name is Leslie, and I have had it since I was born in 1950 in Herington, Kansas. My mom who loved movies, as I do, just loved the name; I had always hoped she had named me after Leslie Howard, Leslie Caron, or someone famous who had the name. But, she didn't. She told me she just loved the name, and so, I have always loved my name. Close friends called me, "Les," which I love, too. I am female and think it is more suiting to a woman's name, but I have known male Leslie's. I'm happy I got the name, I probably would have picked for myself! I always heard it meant "From the grey fort" and was a Celtic name. I do family history and have found a few Leslie's in my own tree, but not many.

My name is Leslie. For many years, my name was the bane of my existence. I attended public school in a large school district, where I never met another Leslie until high school. There, I met three other Leslies. Two were boys. Yes, I have received bulk mail referring to me by the wrong gender. Half my family pronounces my name with the softer "s" and the other half pronounce my name with the "z" sound (including me!) And, you know what? None of it matters to me anymore. "Leslie" is my moniker, but it is not my identity. My name did age right along with me, so now that I am 61, I don't feel as if I am saddled with a cutesy name or one that is more appropriate for a child. That's a plus. I did think long and hard when I chose my own children's names. Neither is named Leslie. For me, Leslie is simply my first name. Nothing more. I neither like nor dislike it. It is what I answer to, along with Mom, Mommy, Grandma and Sweetheart (only by my husband!) And that's enough.

Any other spelling besides "Leslie" is not cute. Lesly, Lesli, Lesleigh, Lezli, Lesley AND ANY OTHER VARIATION is not appealing. It should be Leslie for both feminine and masculine. Please stop punishing your children with butchered names.

I always thought of this name as masculine. Not my cup of tea, but it is a fine name.

I actually think it works fine on either sex, though I prefer the Lesley spelling on a male. I picture a blonde-haired, blue-eyed kid of any gender taking a walk through the countryside. Not a bad name at all, but it's not my favorite, either.

I'm 59 and named Leslie. It was a man's name at the time, and I was the only person I knew with this name until college. I pronounce it Les-lie, and I hate it when people insert a z in the middle. Yep, lesbian jokes, which I encountered before I ever even knew what that was!

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It's a weird thing to know people for years, and pronounce my name correctly multiple times in front of them, and have them never pick up on the difference. I probably should tell people, but I just don't want to make a big deal of it.

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When I was named this, Les-lie was the pronunciation for a man's name. I kind of liked it because it was very different and I have a strong personality anyway.

The name Leslie is a nice and a great name, I don't really care about which of the genders its used for, the only thing I have considered here is the origin and the real meaning of this name, since names have adverse effects on the bearer. From my little research Leslie/Lesley have the following meaning: in Scottish Gaelic, Leslie means a "garden of Holly's" in Hebrew. It has the following meanings "My father is JOY" "My father is YAHWEH" Yahweh in Hebrew Means "God Almighty" As a father I am considering giving LESLIE to any of my children. However, for those who have been teased by their peers or society, just have this in your mind- the name I am bearing is to please God, not human, and any time someone mentions your name it is a declaration that your father is the heavenly GOD the ALPHA and OMEGA (beginning and the end)!

Growing up I always hated my name Leslie. Most people could never remember my name and for some odd reason they'd call me Ashley, Rachel, or Lindsey instead. It bothered me so much because it's just 6 letters. Being a girl, my friends would jump between shortening it to Les or Lelly. It didn't help that I would get lesbian jokes about my name all the time. My mother had named me after a friend that she knew years ago but never talks to, the same with my middle name Marie. I do remember having an ex that called me Lesby... again it would remind me of being made fun of in school. It was thanks to my family that I started to prefer being called Lelly-Maria and it quickly caught on with close friends. Now my husband has even caught on calling me Lelly and it has started to make me like my name better. In school I was actually the only Leslie in elementary all the way to high school and yes, I've looked through the entire year book... All in all I feel that it's the type of name that grows on you when it's your own name. At least that is how it was for me. Then again at least I was luckier than my sister Michele who had far more issues with people pronouncing or remembering her name.

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In Fable 3 there is an npc named Leslie who always brightens up my day. I guess it's because we share a name and his evil laugh that he just doesn't quite have down yet. For me it's interesting for a guy in a game but as for real life I don't find it pleasant for either gender to live with.

Hi. I'm a Lesli. Yes, no "e" at the end. My Papaw & Dad have Leslie as their middle names and my Mom's middle name is Ann. So, I'm named after them Lesli Ann. My family & friends call me Lez, LeeLee, Lezzie and when I'm in trouble, LESLI ANN. (lol)
I don't get offended by how people pronounce my name, life's too short. I love my name. I think it's beautiful and feminine by the way it's spelled.

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Leslie is a surname and given name, derived the name of Clan Leslie, ultimately from the place name of Castle Leslie, the clan's historical seat. The name of the castle is probably an Anglicization of an originally Gaelic name, perhaps leas celyn "holly-garden".

I'm also a Leslie with a soft 's' sound not the 'z'. I've always been proud to carry the name since it first belonged to my maternal grandfather, then uncle and cousin- all using it as a middle name. My full name was derived from my grandfather's middle name and my grandmother's middle name (or what my mother thought was her middle name - later found out that she was adopted so that name is not correct but I like the idea). Leslie Jane - it's simple but classic. I get called Les a lot but don't mind that either as long as the 's' is soft. I did get teased some with the lesbian thing...'lez be friends' was the phrase I recall...

I actually think I might prefer Leslie on a Boy. The nickname Les is much more masculine sounding.

My name is Leslie, I am female and love my name because it is not common. I was named for the character Elizabeth Taylor played in the movie "Giant".

I own a facebook page called Mackenzie Ziegler with 39k likers and this is one of the owners' names. I think it works for a girl more than for a boy. I would use it for my son, I would use it for a middle name not for a first name. I see NOTHING masculine about this name!

Not a fan. Reminds me of lesbian- especially with this spelling. And maybe because of that, this name on a male is very laughable. Poor guy! Also, the name is just ugly and outdated.

I have seen it spelled "Leslea" and I think it's an elegant adaptation of the name.

This is my name. One recommendation if you're going to give this name is to decide on pronunciation: LEZ-lee or LESS-lie. My parents say the latter, but other people (and I) tend to say the former. Neither of my parents ever "corrected" anyone- teachers, doctors, etc, so when someone asks me as an adult which it is, I say, "either one." It's pretty lame, but I don't want two people calling me two different names, thinking the other is wrong.

I don't really like this name. It seems too feminine for a boy and too masculine for a girl.

I used to adore this name. I liked Zinnia-Leslie when I was little... but I'm not a fan of hyphenated names anymore.

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Also, when I was in middle school, the boys would call the girls "Leslies" by way of calling them lesbians. It was a stupid immature teasing thing that didn't die out for about three or four years. Now it's all I can think about, even though I don't care if a person is a lesbian or not, it's not something I want to think about when naming someone.

It sounds fine for boys. But as a girl's name it reminds me of a spoiled idiot.

Along with Pat, this is one of those unisex names that offer mass confusion on whether it's a more appropriate male or female name. Sounds like a female name, but was first a male name. Like or dislike, your mail will probably be addressed with the wrong pre-fix, all the same.

I like this name. For a boy, not for a girl. On a girl, it reminds me of an obnoxious little kid with pigtails and big buckteeth. On a boy, it reminds me a cute, lovable, scruffy guy. I don't know why, but it does. However, I wouldn't name my son this, no matter how much I'd want to. He'd be teased mercilessly, even though Leslie WAS originally a masculine name. Oh, and a (sort of) famous bearer is Leslie Rudd, a character on the webcomic Friendly Hostility (http://www.friendlyhostility.com/). Yeah, that's where I got it from.

I wish my name was Leslie, it's so wholesome and inviting.

A good, strong masculine name, completely inappropriate for a female, IMO.

I've got a friend named Leslie. It's a nice name, though I like it for boys.

I can't really imagine this name on a male anymore. It's not a bad name on a female, as long as it's pronounced LES-lee, not LEZ-lee. Too bad the name makes me think of the abstinence only education proponent Leslee Unruh, who has basically ruined this name for me.

I love this name! I like it better for a girl though. I think a good middle name for Leslie is Marie.

I've always really disliked the name Leslie, especially for a girl. For one thing, it sounds more masculine than feminine. The two syllables starting with the same letter are not attractive, and neither is the harsh Z sound in the middle. The first syllable always reminds me of the word "lesbian." I have absolutely nothing against lesbians, but it's just not what I want to think of when I hear a name.

I totally agree with what the user called 'queenv' who says this about the name Leslie: "The first syllable always reminds me of the word "lesbian." I have absolutely nothing against lesbians, but it's just not what I want to think of when I hear a name."

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I'm personally not a fan of the name Leslie for EITHER gender! I honestly don't see ANY appeal. :/

I have a friend whose name is "Lezlie". I've always liked the unique twist replacing the s with a z puts on this classic name without maiming it (ie Lyndsye).

It's an ugly name for a male. It's prettier for a female. It sounds better for a girl than a boy.

For the longest time I didn't like this name. It was the name my parents almost gave me too. When I heard it today I thought it sounded too pretty and refreshing from all the other common names. For myself, I prefer it for a girl. But I do know of 2 males with this name who are adults.

My name is Leslie and I really like it. I only know a handful of other people with the name. Leslie isn't a cutesy name like Ashley or Callie. My name can be taken seriously in later life.

I'd prefer this more as a girls name rather than a boys name.

I think the name is good for a boy and a girl.

Leslie can also be a last name, since I know someone named Tonya Leslie. It is a beautiful name; first or last.

Leslie shouldnt be a man's name. If a name ends in a "A" or an "E" sound it shouldn't be a man's name.

@Anonymous from 8/4/2006,
That is a very ignorant statement. Are you saying Joshua and Henry also belong on girls and girls only because of the sounds they end in?

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The appropriate gender of a name depends on meaning (relative to language) and history; not the way they sound, which is relative to opinion.