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Name Lineage

    The first name Lee

    A unisex name from English meaning “meadow”.

    Pronounced /liː/ 1 syllable Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    English origin

    Lee means “meadow” in English.

    From Old English lēa, the dative case of lēah (“meadow”), originally to denote someone who lived near a meadow.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 27 boys were named Lee, making it the 1,093rd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 1,053 births (#64).

    01,0002,000 1996200020052010201520202025
    7,942
    babies named Lee, 1996–2025
    #1,093
    rank in 2025
    1996
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Lee with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Lee at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 366 boys born in the United States were named Lee, the 727th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1951, when 3,682 were.

    02,0004,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    295,926
    babies named Lee since 1880
    #727
    rank in 2025
    1951
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Lee

    398 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Tommy Lee Jones
      American actor and film director (born 1946)
    • Jamie Lee Curtis
      American actress and author, born 1958
    • Lee Harvey Oswald
      American former marine who assassinated John F. Kennedy (1939–1963)
    • Lee Marvin
      American actor (1924–1987)
    • John Lee Hooker
      American blues musician (1912 or 1917–2001)
    • Lee Van Cleef
      American actor (1925–1989)
    • Lee de Forest
      American inventor (1873–1961)
    • Lee Grant
      American actress, born 1925
    • Lee Remick
      American actress (1935-1991)
    • Lee Hartwell
      American biologist, born 1939
    • Lee Strasberg
      American theatre director, actor and acting teacher (1901–1982)
    • Lee Iacocca
      American businessman (1924–2019)

    More English unisex names

    All 216 names of English origin

    Questions

    What does the name Lee mean?
    Lee means “meadow” in English.
    What is the origin of the name Lee?
    From Old English lēa, the dative case of lēah (“meadow”), originally to denote someone who lived near a meadow.
    How popular is the name Lee?
    In 2025, 27 boys born in England and Wales were named Lee, ranking 1,093rd. Its peak was 1996, with 1,053 births.
    Is Lee a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 295,926 US babies named Lee since 1880, 21% were girls and 79% boys.
    When was Lee most popular?
    1951 in the United States, when 3,682 babies were named Lee, its highest rank at 92nd.
    How do you pronounce Lee?
    Lee is /liː/, one syllable.
    What are other spellings of Lee?
    Lea, Leigh, Li, Le, Ly and Rhee.
    Is Lee also a surname?
    Yes. Lee is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.