English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From a placename in Aberdeenshire, originally Lesslyn, Scottish Gaelic lios cuileann (garden of hollies).

Proper noun

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Lesley

  1. A Scottish surname.
  2. A female given name transferred from the surname, used since the 18th century. Popular in the U.K. in the mid-20th century.
  3. (rare) A male given name transferred from the surname.

Usage notes

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The male given name is usually spelled Leslie.

Quotations

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  • 1792, Robert Burns, Bonnie Lesley:
    O saw ye bonnie Lesley,
    As she gaed o'er the border.
    She's gane, like Alexander,
    To spread her conquests farther.

Anagrams

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