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Name Lineage

    The first name Leland

    A boy’s name.

    Pronounced /ˈliːlənd/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Shortened from McLeland, McClellan, from Irish Mac Giolla Fhaoláin, "son of servant of (Saint) Faolán (=Little Wolf)".

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 8 boys were named Leland, making it the 2,664th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2007, with 182 births (#234).

    0100200 1996200020052010201520202025
    1,265
    babies named Leland, 1996–2025
    #2,664
    rank in 2025
    2007
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Leland with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Leland at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 612 boys born in the United States were named Leland, the 494th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2007, when 1,029 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    58,556
    babies named Leland since 1880
    #494
    rank in 2025
    2007
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Leland

    16 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Leland Stanford
      American politician and railroad tycoon (1824-1893)
    • Leland Orser
      American actor, born 1960
    • Leland Sklar
      American bassist and session musician, born 1947
    • Leland Ossian Howard
      American entomologist (1857-1950)
    • Leland Cunningham
      American astronomer (1904-1989)
    • Leland Yee
      American criminal and former Democratic California State Senator, born 1948
    • Leland Irving
      Canadian ice hockey goaltender, born 1988
    • Leland Clark
      American chemist (1918–2005)
    • Leland L. Jones
      American actor, born 1963
    • Leland John Haworth
      American particle physicist, 1904–1979
    • Leland Hayward
      American talent agent and theatrical producer (1902-1971)
    • Walter Cronkite
      American broadcast journalist (1916-2009)

    Questions

    What does the name Leland mean?
    Shortened from McLeland, McClellan, from Irish Mac Giolla Fhaoláin, "son of servant of (Saint) Faolán (=Little Wolf)".
    How popular is the name Leland?
    In 2025, 8 boys born in England and Wales were named Leland, ranking 2,664th. Its peak was 2007, with 182 births.
    Is Leland a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 58,556 US babies named Leland since 1880 were boys.
    When was Leland most popular?
    2007 in the United States, when 1,029 babies were named Leland, its highest rank at 315th.
    How do you pronounce Leland?
    Leland is /ˈliːlənd/, 2 syllables.
    Is Leland also a surname?
    Yes. Leland is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.