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At a Glance: Name: Leighton – Meaning: leek/herb-garden settlement – Origin: English (place name/surname) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: LAY-tun
Leighton is an English name with roots as a place name and surname, built from Old English ‘lēac,’ meaning leek, plus a settlement term — so its sense is “leek/herb-garden settlement.” You'll sometimes see it glossed as ‘meadow town,’ but that mixes up ‘lēac’ (leek) with the similarly spelled ‘lēah’ (meadow). It's pronounced LAY-tun (IPA /ˈleɪtən/) and has an outdoorsy, nature-inspired, clean, modern feel.
Meaning & Origin of Leighton
Meaning: Leek/herb-garden settlement.
Origin: English (place name/surname).
A common claim: Often glossed as 'meadow town.' Actually: That confuses Old English 'lēac' (leek) with the similarly spelled 'lēah' (meadow) — Leighton actually means 'leek/herb-garden settlement.'
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Leighton
Phonetic: LAY-tun IPA: /ˈleɪtən/
Popularity of Leighton
Leighton peaked at #357 in 2023 with 853 girls given the name, then eased slightly to #395 in 2024 with 797 — a small dip after its high point, within Social Security data spanning 1893 to 2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1893–2024.
Make Leighton Name Art
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Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Leighton mean?
Leek/herb-garden settlement. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Leighton)
How do you pronounce Leighton?
Leighton is pronounced LAY-tun (IPA: /ˈleɪtən/).
Is Leighton a popular name right now?
Leighton is near its all-time peak (#357 in 2023), ranked #395 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1893–2024.)
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