Burleigh
A boy's name of Old English origin with 467 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname.
Burleigh is a boy's baby name of Old English origin, from an English place name meaning 'fortified clearing' or 'burh-leah,' from Old English burh (fort) and leah (woodland clearing, meadow). As a given name it projects a sturdy, landed English character.
Burleigh was used as a given name primarily in the 19th century United States, when English aristocratic place-name and surname transfers to first names were fashionable. Olympic sprinter Burleigh Grimes, who later became a baseball Hall of Famer, shared a first and last name of the same type.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Burleigh's final sounds are sharp, distinct — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close. In English-language naming, masculine names frequently end on harder consonants or closed syllables, creating a sense of decisiveness and strength. Burleigh follows that masculine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Burleigh'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
Burleigh has 47+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1892.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 13 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 51 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 78 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 137 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 113 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 59 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 11 | — |
The Story of Burleigh
A Silent Generation name
Peaking in 1932, Burleigh is an elegant vintage name. Boys named Burleigh are most likely born between 1922 and 1942.
How rare is Burleigh?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Burleigh is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1892, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1930s with 137 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Burleigh by the numbers
- Would fill 10 school buses
- Meeting one Burleigh per day would take 1.3 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(47 years, 1892–1971)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 5 | #5003 |
| 1965 | 6 | #3586 |
| 1963 | 7 | #3355 |
| 1958 | 7 | #3311 |
| 1957 | 7 | #3284 |
| 1956 | 5 | #4010 |
| 1955 | 8 | #2994 |
| 1952 | 8 | #2904 |
| 1951 | 10 | #2520 |
| 1950 | 6 | #3368 |
| 1949 | 8 | #2822 |
| 1948 | 6 | #3360 |
| 1947 | 14 | #2085 |
| 1946 | 12 | #2161 |
| 1944 | 7 | #2892 |
| 1943 | 8 | #2756 |
| 1942 | 7 | #2966 |
| 1941 | 10 | #2356 |
| 1940 | 6 | #3171 |
| 1939 | 7 | #2863 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burleigh a boy's or girl's name?
When was Burleigh most popular?
How popular is the name Burleigh?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1892–1971