Where did -eigh come from?

JaysonandKristin

What are some of the original, legitimate names with this ending?  

I wonder where it comes from because I see it on Kimberleigh and Ashleigh and Ryleigh and it makes me unhappy.  (

There has to be an origin... does anyone know?  Does it belong to anyone on this board?  Would you mind reclaiming it, and taking it away from the cre8ive spellers? 

evaazalea

I don't know, but I hate it more then I hate random 'y's

Moxie27

not sure, but i hope it goes back to wherever it came from.

taracovert

It is terrible! I love Leigh as a MN though for a little girl.

I met a little girl not long ago, her name was Leighah. Yup, that would be Leah!

 

juniper19

The -leigh is a legitimate name/place spelling.  Like Janet Leigh and Raleigh, NC.  I'm guessing it came from people re-appropriating those spellings.

queenbone

There was an English artist, Frederic Lord Leighton, so maybe it stems from that family name?  His house is a museum now and is a great time capsule if you are ever in London and run out of things to do.

taracovert

OHH...Leighton. This is going on my fav boys names list. Haha

Thank you for unintentionally helping me!

Spookster

My DD has Kimberleigh as one of her middle names after her Gan. It is what it is. 

TUGOsQueen

Leigh alone is fine but combined is horrid.

One of the worst I say (not as bad as Leighah) but it was 

Lesleigh

[Deleted User]

I don't understand how someone can use this ending to a name and insist it be pronounced "ee" instead of "ay," especially to the point of irritation with people who pronounce it "incorrectly."  There are more words that end in -eigh that are pronounced "ay."  If you don't want to have to correct people, spell it correctly.

teachergal05

I don't know, but (speaking as a former kindergarten teacher) it's usually never a good thing when kids are trying to learn to write their names because it only lengthens them.

CaroleVee

I spelled DD's name Chesleigh because leigh is pronounced like Lee. It looked funny spelled Chesly-Cheslea-Cheslee. I guess it just looked more girly and less likely to be confused with Chelsea. Which it still is to people that don't actually look at what they are reading.

kchick

probably the legitimate name leigh for a girl

stahlop

The first time I ever saw a name with the eigh in it was when I was in 8th grade (1992).  My babysitter was having a baby and it was supposed to be a girl named Ashleigh Nicole (she ended up having a boy even though all the ultrasounds said it was a girl).

Worst offense I've heard of, Leighsah, that would be Lisa.

jupiterthecat

Yeah, I think Leigh. And we must have Aimee to blame for the damned "-ee" suffix!

zaramarie81

I am pretty sure it stems from Celtic spellings. Traditional Irish and Celtic names often have tons of "extra" letters. The difference of course is that the Irish would actually pronounce the "g". So  the very old surname O'Caellaigh sounds like O'KELL-eg. And us Americans got cre8tive.

Brodyrox30

Leigh is "the original". It's a masculine name that has become unisex. It's from an English surname. Pronounced Lee or Lay.

trebmal

Is it people trying to be unique and using the Irish spelling Leigh (pronounced Lee) to make their kiddo a special snowflake.  My sister's mn is Leigh, but that's just it.  Leigh pronounced Lee, we are of Irish descent so that's where our mom got it. 

l_elizabeth

My first name is Leigh. Just Leigh, nothing crazy and it's not short for anything. I am not a fan of the expanded-upon Leigh's like Ryleigh or Kayleigh. And I HATE it when people pronounce my name "lay". Who in the world would name their child that?!!!