I'm clueless to that as well. I also used to say it as 'Lay' and reportedly still do at times.
While reading some series written by a woman of the name, '
Leigh Bardugo' a few years back, I was saying her name as 'Lay' as that's what I had strongly assumed and the spelling was new to me.
It's strange I think. I mean
Leighton is said as
Layton after all yet
Leigh is reportedly just
Lee. \:
I personally don't care for it, especially seeing it attached at the back of a name. *vomits*
Paisleigh, Hadleigh, Everleigh, Kileigh,
Ryleigh and whatever else possible.