Leslie is a Scottish place-name turned given name — from a Gaelic word meaning "garden of holly" — that peaked in American birth records in the 1950s-70s and now sits firmly in the vintage-human-name-on-pet category. With 28 registry records it's a deliberate choice: warm, slightly retro, and functioning as a gentle ironic statement.
The Leslie Knope Effect
Leslie Knope — Amy Poehler's character in Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) — restored the name's pop-culture freshness for a generation that might otherwise have seen it as dated. The character's relentless optimism and organizational competence gave Leslie a specific personality profile that owners sometimes project onto their pets. A cat named Leslie who is extremely opinionated seems about right. The human name Leslie was gender-neutral for much of its American history before settling female.
Mid-Century Warm
Leslie sits in the same register as Janet, Carol, and Diane as a thoroughly mid-century American name that has a second life as an ironic but genuinely affectionate pet name. Cats collect these names most reliably.
The Counter-Reading: Fading Pop-Culture Shelf Life
Parks and Rec ended a decade ago, and the Leslie Knope association is softening. Without it, Leslie reads as simply a retro human name. Browse pet names for similar vintage-register options.