Lei
Lei is the pinyin romanization of the Chinese surname 雷 (Léi). It is the 69th name on the Hundred Family Surnames poem.
Meaning & Origin of Lei
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lei is the pinyin romanization of the Chinese surname 雷 (Léi). It is the 69th name on the Hundred Family Surnames poem.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Lei
Lei first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1937, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1960, when 25 Leis were born — ranking #2,368 that year. As of 2026, Lei ranks #15,243 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 647 Leis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Lei
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lei 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 Lei
What does the name Lei mean?
How popular is Lei in 2026?
When was Lei most popular?
In which U.S. states is Lei most popular?
Is Lei a unisex name?
What names go well with Lei?
About the name Lei
Lei is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1937 and has accumulated 647 births in the dataset. Lei's peak popularity came in 1960 when it ranked #2,368. Use the chart and map above to compare Lei's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1960 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.