Lee

Lee: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning: “meadow, clearing”
Origin: English
Say it: LEE · 1 syllable
Used for: Both (21% girls, 79% boys since 1880)

From an English surname and place-name derived from Old English leah, meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. It is also used as a variant spelling of Leigh.

English names Names meaning nature Names meaning earth Classic names Short names

How popular is Lee?

2024119 per million US babies

Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Compare with another name

Babies named Lee in 2024395

2024 rank#714 boys

Peak year1882

Total US babies since 1880295,534

Lee is steady now but far below its 1882 peak.

Names like Lee

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

Leannamodern blend of Lee and Anna · English
Leighmeadow, clearing · Old English
Leeannmodern blend of Lee and Ann · American (modern coinage)
Leighameadow · English
Averyruler of elves · English
Riverriver · English
Sawyerwoodcutter · English
TatumTata's homestead · English

Lee questions

What does the name Lee mean?

Lee means "meadow, clearing". It comes from English. From an English surname and place-name derived from Old English leah, meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. It is also used as a variant spelling of Leigh.

Is Lee a boy or girl name?

Lee is used for both: about 21% of US babies named Lee since 1880 were girls.

How popular is Lee?

395 US babies were named Lee in 2024. Its peak year was 1882.

How do you pronounce Lee?

Lee is usually pronounced LEE.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.