Total births
652
Girls' name · since 1937
Lei
652 babies named Lei in U.S. Social Security records since 1937, with the highest year being 1960. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #15526
- among girls today
- 652
- born since 1937
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other girls
652 babies have been named Lei since 1937, making it today's #15526 girls' name.
Lei has 652 recorded births among girls since 1937, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #15526 as of the latest data, more common than 12% of girls, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1937 to 2025.
- #15526 among girls today
- 652 born since 1937
- 1960s peak decade
- 12% more common than other girls
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Lei is currently the #15526 girls' name in America, more common than 12% of girls - 652 born since 1937, peaking in the 1960s.
- #15526
- among girls today
- 652
- born since 1937
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other girls
Lei vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#15526
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 12% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Lei was born in this single decade.
1960
Single peak year
25 babies were named Lei in 1960 - its busiest year on record.
How Lei compares
652 Top 39% higher than 61% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Lei's all-time total is 71% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Lei | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 652 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 25 | 48 | 19,840 |
Lei's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Lei's full recorded timeline at 1973, 39% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 61% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1946, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1960 peak of 25 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Lei at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1960
Current rank
#15,526
Active since
1937
Lei popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1937–2025
- Peak year (1960)
- 25
- Annual births at peak, across 89 years of records
Lei popularity over time - boys
31 total births recorded since 1979 (Lei as boys' name)
Lei by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Lei's strongest decade.
160 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Lei births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 27
1930s
27 births
- 1940s 54
1940s
54 births
- 1950s
1950s
124 births
- 1960s
1960s
160 births
- 1970s
1970s
87 births
- 1980s 58
1980s
58 births
- 1990s 43
1990s
43 births
- 2000s 55
2000s
55 births
- 2010s 21
2010s
21 births
- 2020s 23
2020s
23 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 160 births (25% of all-time use).
How Lei compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Lei's total volume
Lei vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Lei by state
Where Lei concentrates geographically, total births since 1937
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hawaii | | 62 | 9.5% |
| #2 | California | | 18 | 2.8% |
Hawaii share of Lei's total US births 9.5%
Even split
62 of 652 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Lei? ▼
Since 1937, Social Security records show 652 babies named Lei. Today it holds rank #15526 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1960, with 25 births.
When was Lei most popular? ▼
Lei was most popular in the 1960s decade with 160 total births. The single peak year was 1960.
Where is Lei most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Lei are Hawaii (62 births), California (18 births).
How long has the name Lei been used? ▼
Lei has been recorded in Social Security data since 1937, spanning 89 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Lei? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Leilani, Leila, Leigh, Leia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Lei's data
- Lei's decade-level peak was the 1960s (160 total births); usage has since declined to 23 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Hawaii records the most Leis (62 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Hawaii names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Lei
Nearby Names Like Lei
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lei
Leilani Girl
#66 56,466 births
Leila Girl
#267 55,436 births
Leigh Girl
#3405 40,242 births
Leia Girl
#289 18,778 births
Leighton Girl
#397 12,412 births
Compare Lei side by side: Lei vs Leilani Lei vs Leila Lei vs Leigh
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lei
Vianne #15525
408 births · Peak 2005
Darien #15527
1,849 births · Peak 1995
Jolyn #15524
1,984 births · Peak 1969
Leeanne #15528
3,148 births · Peak 1970
Delayne #15523
630 births · Peak 2004
Kevin #15529
5,337 births · Peak 1977
Carolena #15522
478 births · Peak 2008
Lavae #15530
73 births · Peak 2016
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1937–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Lei: #15526 Girls' Name - 652 Births, Peak 1960." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/lei. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Lei draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.