Leighton
Meaning of Leighton
Leighton (pronounced LAYT-un) springs from Old English roots that paint a pastoral picture—literally “meadow town” or “settlement by the leeks.” Originally a surname tied to rolling English villages, it has wandered across the Atlantic and claimed fresh turf as a stylish unisex first name. In the States, Leighton has been climbing the charts with quiet determination, cracking the Top 400 in the past few years and showing that parents love its mix of softness and strength. Pop-culture boosts—from actress Leighton Meester to football fields and fashion runways—keep the name feeling current without tipping into fad territory. It’s a choice that wraps country-lane charm in city-sleek appeal, perfect for parents who want a name that straddles tradition and modernity while giving their child room to write their own story.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as LAYT-un (/ˈleɪtən/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Leighton
| Leighton Meester is an American actress, singer, and model best known as Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl, also seen in films, on Single Parents, and on Broadway in Of Mice and Men, with a Logie Award nomination for Good Cop Bad Cop. |
| Leighton Vander Esch is a former Dallas Cowboys linebacker and 2018 first round pick from Boise State who earned Pro Bowl and All Pro honors as a rookie before neck injuries ended his NFL career after six seasons. |
| Leighton Eksteen is a South African rugby union utility back for VVA Podmoskovje in Russia who can play fullback, fly half, or scrum half. |
| Leighton Aspell is a retired Irish jockey who won the 2014 and 2015 Grand Nationals on Pineau de Re and Many Clouds. |
| Leighton Seager, 1st Baron Leighton of St Mellons - Welsh shipping magnate Leighton Seager became 1st Baron Leighton of St Mellons and a CBE after being Sir George Leighton Seager, 1st Baronet, from 1952 to 1962. |
