Bentleigh
Primarily a girl's name of Old English origin with 551 recorded births. Also given to 61 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A region of Victoria, Australia. A suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Bentleigh is a girl's and boy's baby name of Old English origin, a variant spelling of Bentley — from the Old English beonet ('bent grass') and leah ('woodland clearing'), meaning 'clearing covered in bent grass.'
The -leigh spelling gives Bentleigh a softer, more feminine quality compared to the luxury car association of Bentley. It appeals to parents who love the preppy, aristocratic sound of Bentley but want a spelling that reads unmistakably as a girl's name.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Bentleigh's final sounds are sharp, distinct — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Bentleigh breaks from that pattern, giving it a more distinctive edge.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Bentleigh's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Bentleigh climbed 7967 spots in the last 20 years — from #16470 to #8503.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 90 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 440 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 21 | — |
The Story of Bentleigh
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 2011, Bentleigh is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Bentleigh are most likely born between 2004 and 2021.
How rare is Bentleigh?
Only about 1 in every 300,000 babies born in 2024 was named Bentleigh — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 2004, peaked in the 2010s with 440 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Bentleigh by the numbers
- Would fill 11 school buses
- Meeting one Bentleigh per day would take 1.5 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(18 years, 2004–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | #8503 |
| 2023 | 19 | #6196 |
| 2022 | 22 | #5665 |
| 2021 | 18 | #6443 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6115 |
| 2019 | 32 | #4356 |
| 2018 | 34 | #4159 |
| 2017 | 36 | #4078 |
| 2016 | 25 | #5303 |
| 2015 | 39 | #3854 |
| 2014 | 50 | #3234 |
| 2013 | 58 | #2909 |
| 2012 | 58 | #2942 |
| 2011 | 60 | #2872 |
| 2010 | 48 | #3368 |
| 2009 | 7 | #13921 |
| 2006 | 9 | #11585 |
| 2004 | 5 | #16470 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Bentleigh as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Bentleigh has also been given to 61 boys in the U.S. since 2010.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bentleigh a boy's or girl's name?
When was Bentleigh most popular?
How popular is the name Bentleigh?
Can Bentleigh be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 2004–2024