My actual real life name is Leslie. Supposedly I was named for a character in a novel that my grandmother read before my birth. Although I can’t be certain, I’ve always suspected that novel was Edna Ferber’s, Giant, which was published in 1952 and became a major studio film in 1956, the year I was born.
The absolutely gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor played the part of Leslie Benedict, and when I saw the film I felt such a sense of vindication. Finally here was a character with my name, and oh, what a character she was: Beautiful and smart and fashionable. It bothered me some that her name was pronounced with a “z” sound while mine has the softer “sss” pronunciation, but I was willing to overlook that. After all, my grandmother read the name in a book. The movie folks likely had gotten it all wrong.
Leslie wasn’t a common name for girls back in my day, and it’s never going to make the top ten list for female children, as names like Linda and Sophia, Ashley and Jennifer have over the years. I have met a handful of female Leslies, though, some pronounced with an s others with the z. We’re a pretty select group.
Yesterday Studly Doright sent me an email with information about another Leslie.
Welcome to the club, Hurricane Leslie. I hope they pronounce your name correctly.
Peace. People.
Praying for Eyebrowz 
I have a niece with the same name but spelled Lesley. For years — well into her twenties — I mispronounced it with the “z” sound until her mother took me aside and gently corrected me. It apparently had bothered poor Lesley since she was very young. Oops.
I’m glad soon-to-be Hurricane Leslie is not projected to hit land. – Marty
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Some women will tell you that males us the s sound while females use the z. Your niece and I say nay!
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My mother wanted to name me Leslie (maybe after the same character?) but my father won since I was born in January so Janis seemed more appropriate. As an almost-Leslie, I don’t know whether to root for her to get stronger (you go girl!) or to hope she settles down and behaves herself.
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I hope she just plays out in the ocean until she’s exhausted.
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I have the hardback of that book you know. And you are a force to be reckoned with in the nicest way you know. x
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You have the hardback of a Giant? That’s awesome! I read it years ago. I grew up in Texas, so it’s pretty special even though Ms. Ferber got a lot of things wrong.
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You are the first female Leslie I have met
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My first boyfriend’s name was Leslie Blake Hickerson. Fortunately he went by Blake.
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🙂
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