Lee
Lee is a unisex given name from the English word 'lee'. It is also used as a surname, often confused with the Old English surname and given name leah, which evolved to 'leigh' in Middle English, and present-day 'lea' with the same meaning.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Lee
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lee is a unisex given name from the English word 'lee'. It is also used as a surname, often confused with the Old English surname and given name leah, which evolved to 'leigh' in Middle English, and present-day 'lea' with the same meaning.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Lee
As a girl name
Lee first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 28 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1956: 1,937 births, good for #184 nationwide. The 1950s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 22% of all recorded Lees. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #5,158 among girl names with 25 births, gradually rising (+14%). In total, more than 62K Lees have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Lee on the record books as a boy name in 1880, with 361 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1951, when 3,682 Lees were born — ranking #92 that year. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #699 among boy names with 390 births, gradually rising (+11%). In total, more than 234K Lees have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Lee
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lee is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lee
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About the name Lee
Lee is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 234K births in the dataset. Lee's peak popularity came in 1951 when it ranked #39. Use the chart and map above to compare Lee's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1951 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.