Lee
Lee was given to 366 boys in 2025, #727 among boys’ names; 295,926 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 160,000 Americans named Lee and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (54% of everyone recorded); the median is 60 years old and half are between 46 and 71.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Lee by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Lee mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Lee is “a male given name.” Its etymology gives the sense “meadow” (lēah).
Also “a nickname for various given names with the first syllable as Lee; Clipping of Leo, Leroy.”
From Old English lēa, the dative case of lēah (“meadow”), originally to denote someone who lived near a meadow.
/liː/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Lee?
#727 among boys’ names, 2025
Lee fell from #678 in 2015 to #727 in 2025 among boys’ names, although its share of boys born rose from 0.20 to 0.21 per 1,000.
5,448 babies in 1956, the peak
Lee peaked in 1956, when 5,448 babies were given it (3,511 boys, #104 among boys’ names). The 387 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 7% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | #5,831 | 366 | #727 |
| 2024 | 25 | #5,227 | 370 | #716 |
| 2023 | 24 | #5,321 | 377 | #705 |
| 2022 | 26 | #5,102 | 379 | #698 |
| 2021 | 15 | #7,490 | 378 | #700 |
| 2020 | 28 | #4,703 | 313 | #769 |
| 2019 | 20 | #6,090 | 297 | #783 |
| 2018 | 26 | #5,086 | 352 | #690 |
| 2017 | 21 | #5,945 | 369 | #681 |
| 2016 | 33 | #4,397 | 390 | #664 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 24 | #5,583 | 375 | #678 |
| 2014 | 23 | #5,725 | 350 | #703 |
| 2013 | 29 | #4,831 | 361 | #668 |
| 2012 | 22 | #6,022 | 357 | #663 |
| 2011 | 20 | #6,464 | 353 | #670 |
| 2010 | 31 | #4,681 | 353 | #676 |
| 2009 | 29 | #5,025 | 374 | #658 |
| 2008 | 17 | #7,594 | 361 | #671 |
| 2007 | 22 | #6,213 | 382 | #638 |
| 2006 | 29 | #4,897 | 391 | #610 |
| 2005 | 22 | #5,697 | 384 | #590 |
| 2004 | 43 | #3,465 | 412 | #557 |
| 2003 | 43 | #3,392 | 403 | #557 |
| 2002 | 42 | #3,306 | 439 | #517 |
| 2001 | 56 | #2,677 | 513 | #464 |
| 2000 | 67 | #2,318 | 502 | #469 |
| 1999 | 81 | #1,946 | 510 | #449 |
| 1998 | 87 | #1,793 | 607 | #404 |
| 1997 | 72 | #1,994 | 615 | #388 |
| 1996 | 94 | #1,631 | 721 | #343 |
| 1995 | 102 | #1,523 | 774 | #330 |
| 1994 | 125 | #1,340 | 917 | #297 |
| 1993 | 159 | #1,124 | 989 | #284 |
| 1992 | 156 | #1,134 | 1,128 | #255 |
| 1991 | 162 | #1,108 | 1,300 | #229 |
| 1990 | 197 | #954 | 1,450 | #213 |
| 1989 | 232 | #817 | 1,545 | #188 |
| 1988 | 269 | #707 | 1,785 | #156 |
| 1987 | 243 | #746 | 1,811 | #154 |
| 1986 | 286 | #646 | 1,932 | #145 |
| 1985 | 310 | #610 | 2,005 | #142 |
| 1984 | 360 | #533 | 2,164 | #124 |
| 1983 | 373 | #513 | 1,917 | #138 |
| 1982 | 485 | #444 | 2,205 | #123 |
| 1981 | 532 | #414 | 2,215 | #123 |
| 1980 | 652 | #364 | 2,209 | #125 |
| 1979 | 622 | #363 | 2,078 | #129 |
| 1978 | 490 | #413 | 1,980 | #133 |
| 1977 | 561 | #377 | 2,014 | #133 |
| 1976 | 532 | #386 | 1,873 | #138 |
| 1975 | 585 | #360 | 1,858 | #137 |
| 1974 | 608 | #356 | 2,115 | #124 |
| 1973 | 658 | #336 | 2,106 | #123 |
| 1972 | 691 | #333 | 2,260 | #125 |
| 1971 | 873 | #308 | 2,472 | #128 |
| 1970 | 970 | #298 | 2,790 | #118 |
| 1969 | 1,134 | #257 | 2,762 | #118 |
| 1968 | 1,160 | #239 | 2,868 | #106 |
| 1967 | 1,140 | #248 | 2,960 | #103 |
| 1966 | 1,211 | #241 | 2,965 | #106 |
| 1965 | 1,300 | #237 | 2,772 | #117 |
| 1964 | 1,272 | #248 | 3,037 | #117 |
| 1963 | 1,479 | #225 | 3,016 | #119 |
| 1962 | 1,380 | #233 | 3,263 | #115 |
| 1961 | 1,493 | #222 | 3,127 | #122 |
| 1960 | 1,531 | #218 | 3,430 | #116 |
| 1959 | 1,549 | #213 | 3,509 | #115 |
| 1958 | 1,696 | #200 | 3,514 | #114 |
| 1957 | 1,834 | #192 | 3,588 | #105 |
| 1956 | 1,937 | #184 | 3,511 | #104 |
| 1955 | 1,816 | #183 | 3,607 | #96 |
| 1954 | 1,357 | #216 | 3,566 | #96 |
| 1953 | 1,015 | #255 | 3,583 | #93 |
| 1952 | 948 | #256 | 3,655 | #92 |
| 1951 | 891 | #259 | 3,682 | #92 |
| 1950 | 818 | #268 | 3,611 | #91 |
| 1949 | 818 | #270 | 3,562 | #93 |
| 1948 | 842 | #264 | 3,445 | #93 |
| 1947 | 857 | #254 | 3,676 | #92 |
| 1946 | 807 | #248 | 3,346 | #91 |
| 1945 | 687 | #257 | 2,942 | #87 |
| 1944 | 600 | #280 | 2,929 | #85 |
| 1943 | 597 | #285 | 2,789 | #91 |
| 1942 | 583 | #282 | 2,923 | #87 |
| 1941 | 520 | #283 | 2,742 | #81 |
| 1940 | 492 | #283 | 2,624 | #80 |
| 1939 | 477 | #286 | 2,589 | #78 |
| 1938 | 450 | #296 | 2,575 | #80 |
| 1937 | 438 | #298 | 2,499 | #78 |
| 1936 | 439 | #292 | 2,418 | #76 |
| 1935 | 474 | #280 | 2,426 | #80 |
| 1934 | 422 | #307 | 2,378 | #79 |
| 1933 | 403 | #311 | 2,301 | #79 |
| 1932 | 457 | #293 | 2,284 | #86 |
| 1931 | 446 | #302 | 2,123 | #90 |
| 1930 | 465 | #308 | 2,361 | #82 |
| 1929 | 474 | #308 | 2,209 | #85 |
| 1928 | 513 | #291 | 2,282 | #87 |
| 1927 | 490 | #302 | 2,390 | #86 |
| 1926 | 542 | #285 | 2,313 | #85 |
| 1925 | 531 | #292 | 2,537 | #82 |
| 1924 | 488 | #303 | 2,420 | #83 |
| 1923 | 494 | #290 | 2,359 | #85 |
| 1922 | 496 | #291 | 2,371 | #83 |
| 1921 | 459 | #303 | 2,354 | #86 |
| 1920 | 543 | #281 | 2,321 | #82 |
| 1919 | 484 | #289 | 2,189 | #82 |
| 1918 | 507 | #281 | 2,159 | #86 |
| 1917 | 479 | #282 | 2,004 | #85 |
| 1916 | 475 | #275 | 2,016 | #83 |
| 1915 | 445 | #279 | 1,916 | #84 |
| 1914 | 405 | #255 | 1,451 | #84 |
| 1913 | 294 | #272 | 1,228 | #78 |
| 1912 | 312 | #253 | 1,030 | #78 |
| 1911 | 258 | #245 | 646 | #67 |
| 1910 | 224 | #256 | 741 | #49 |
| 1909 | 196 | #258 | 584 | #52 |
| 1908 | 197 | #246 | 553 | #51 |
| 1907 | 192 | #245 | 516 | #54 |
| 1906 | 150 | #272 | 436 | #58 |
| 1905 | 165 | #253 | 486 | #49 |
| 1904 | 139 | #267 | 532 | #45 |
| 1903 | 110 | #298 | 477 | #45 |
| 1902 | 134 | #269 | 475 | #46 |
| 1901 | 95 | #305 | 424 | #45 |
| 1900 | 138 | #278 | 675 | #39 |
| 1899 | 94 | #308 | 388 | #50 |
| 1898 | 111 | #293 | 498 | #46 |
| 1897 | 97 | #293 | 453 | #47 |
| 1896 | 73 | #341 | 455 | #48 |
| 1895 | 98 | #283 | 478 | #47 |
| 1894 | 83 | #305 | 455 | #45 |
| 1893 | 66 | #332 | 445 | #46 |
| 1892 | 68 | #326 | 460 | #46 |
| 1891 | 68 | #305 | 342 | #52 |
| 1890 | 58 | #333 | 410 | #44 |
| 1889 | 77 | #272 | 415 | #46 |
| 1888 | 61 | #305 | 430 | #48 |
| 1887 | 60 | #273 | 400 | #44 |
| 1886 | 37 | #354 | 399 | #47 |
| 1885 | 46 | #295 | 348 | #50 |
| 1884 | 48 | #277 | 435 | #43 |
| 1883 | 55 | #241 | 388 | #43 |
| 1882 | 43 | #266 | 427 | #41 |
| 1881 | 39 | #259 | 342 | #44 |
| 1880 | 28 | #300 | 361 | #43 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Lee a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 295,926 Americans recorded as Lee, 21% are girls and 79% boys. In 2025 it went to 21 girls and 366 boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Lee: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Lee, and how old are they?
160,000 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 54% of the 295,926 Americans ever recorded as Lee. The median Lee alive today is 60 years old; half are between 46 and 71.
The 2020 Census counted 164,578 people named Lee (36,516 women and girls, 128,062 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 177,036 born in the U.S. The Census count is 7% below that prediction.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 12,200 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 62,400 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 45,600 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 27,500 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 7,510 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 4,960 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Lee born?
The states with the most babies named Lee are Texas, California and New York, with 20% of its births recorded by state since 1910.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, boys | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 21,197 | #869 | 1.2× |
| California | 16,902 | #1,068 | 0.8× |
| New York | 15,903 | #759 | 0.7× |
| Pennsylvania | 14,399 | #410 | 0.8× |
| Illinois | 12,487 | #668 | 0.8× |
| Ohio | 11,641 | #660 | 0.8× |
| Mississippi | 11,085 | not ranked | 2.4× |
| Michigan | 10,241 | #750 | 0.9× |
| North Carolina | 9,674 | #748 | 1.1× |
| Georgia | 8,867 | #1,052 | 1.1× |
Where Lee is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Lee is most over-represented in Mississippi: since 1910 it was given 2.4 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among boys’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Lee with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 5 names spelled alike, given to 638,224 babies since 1880, Lee is the most given (46% of them). In 2025 it was given to 387 of their 8,944 babies (4.3%), the second most given that year.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
More about Lee and names like it
- Compare Lee and LeoBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1950sLee peaked in 1956.
- Texas’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Lee since 1910.
- The top names of 1956The year the most babies were named Lee.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named Lee alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with LMost given first.