Lee

Lee - A very unique male name

Lee appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #49. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Lee and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Lee? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Lee. The baby boy name Lee was given to 324 baby boys in 2025, ranking #727 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 4,526 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Lee peaked in popularity 116 years ago in 1910 on position 49.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Lee, 1-5?

Lee is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Lee is currently topping the baby name charts in Iowa at position #285 - and is the least popular in New Jersey at position #1,121.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Lee is where you live.

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Lee origin and meaning

English surname / short form

From Old English leah, 'woodland clearing, meadow' — a surname and place-name element turned given name

Lee has been a solid American boy's name since 1910 and a ubiquitous middle name, peaking in 1947. As a first name it has ticked back up recently, part of the short-name revival.

Attested etymology

Lee is a 3 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Lee, pop culture references for the name Lee and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Lee

We've found the following names that sound similar to Lee, sorted by popularity.

Leo / Lyle / Lowell / Louie / Loyal / Loy / Lou / Lael / Lew / Lio /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Lee

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Lee a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Lee?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

LEE · /liː/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Leigh — Spelling more often used for girls

Famous bearers

• Lee Majors — American actor, star of The Six Million Dollar Man (b. 1939) Contemporary
• Lee Iacocca — American auto executive (1924–2019) Contemporary

Style

SurnameShort formClassic

Why parents choose it

Lee is the ultimate no-fuss name — one syllable, known everywhere, and currently rare as a first name.

Worth knowing

• Extremely common as a middle name and surname, so full-name combinations repeat often