Leighton

Leighton - A very unique male name

Leighton appeared on the charts for the first time in 1914 on position #1245. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Leighton and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Leighton? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Leighton. The baby boy name Leighton was given to 151 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1071 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 9,710 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Leighton peaked in popularity 7 years ago in 2019 on position 690.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Leighton, 1-5?

Leighton is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Leighton is currently topping the baby name charts in Mississippi at position #583 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #1,993.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Leighton is where you live.

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Leighton origin and meaning

English — transferred place name and surname

From Old English leac, 'leek,' + tun, 'farmstead, settlement' — a place name for a farm where leeks were grown, or a meadow settlement

Leighton is an English village and surname name (Leighton Buzzard is the best-known place) that transferred to first names in the surname-name era. For boys it peaked in 2019 and has fallen since; the same name is currently more fashionable for girls.

Attested etymology

Leighton is a 8 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Leighton, pop culture references for the name Leighton and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Leighton

We've found the following names that sound similar to Leighton, sorted by popularity.

Liston / Luxton / Lexton /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Leighton

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Leighton a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Leighton?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

LAY-tun · /ˈleɪtən/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Layton — The phonetic spelling; a separate entry.
• Leyton — Another spelling variant (also an east London place name).

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

SurnamePlace name

Why parents choose it

Leighton has a polished, preppy surname feel with a softer sound than most -ton names. Boy use is declining while girl use grows, so parents of sons should be comfortable with that drift.

Worth knowing

• The -gh- is silent: it is LAY-tun, not LEE-ton or LIGHT-on, and will be misread often.
• Increasingly heard as a girl's name (actress Leighton Meester), which may or may not matter to you.