Baby Name Popularity Profile

Lee

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Lee.

✦ Meadow or clearing 🌍 English nature traditional
National Rank (2025) #727
All-Time Peak Rank #39 Achieved 1900
Total U.S. Births 233,627 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 93.8% Boy / 6.2% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1950s 3,682 births in 1951
💡 The Lee Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Meadow or clearing
Language Origin English
Origin Type single
Derived from Old English *leah*, meaning 'woodland clearing' or 'meadow'.
Pronunciation: LEE
Themes & Categories
nature traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Lee

According to SSA data, Lee achieved its highest historical rank of #39 in 1900. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1951 with 3,682 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 2.4%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Lee across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Rising
10-Year Shift -2.4% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 3,682 births in 1951
Years in Top 100 76 yrs
Years in Top 500 122 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 3,945
1890s: 4,384
1900s: 5,158
1910s: 15,380
1920s: 23,556
1930s: 23,954
1940s: 30,978
1950s: 35,826
1960s: 30,200
1970s: 21,546
1980s: 19,788
1990s: 9,011
2000s: 4,161
2010s: 3,557
2020s: 2,183

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Lee
Letter Count 3 letters
Spelling Complexity Easy
Length Percentile Longer than 0.2% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 0.2% of SSA names. Starts with L, a letter used by only 5.7% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Lee.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Mississippi
Top States Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, South Dakota
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Mississippi Unranked 8,747 1952 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #472 5,522 1942 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #640 6,761 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #660 6,833 1951 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 1,206 1948 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 1,213 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 1,068 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #670 4,569 1925 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #711 4,736 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 421 1937 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #505 5,709 1951 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #475 2,055 1948 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #574 5,950 1946 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #748 8,008 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 1,099 1937 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #616 5,111 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #554 4,652 1925 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #1052 7,309 1921 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 1,398 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #285 3,441 1949 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #500 2,665 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #693 5,391 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Utah Unranked 1,955 1949 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 406 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 1,001 1958 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #813 2,683 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #869 16,998 1925 21.1% Decline
Oregon Unranked 1,981 1950 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #750 8,246 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #410 11,384 1947 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 1,971 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #611 4,607 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #554 3,277 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #668 9,839 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #660 8,970 1956 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #471 4,479 1958 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 799 1951 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #989 5,955 1958 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 236 1959 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland Unranked 2,558 1958 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 514 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut Unranked 1,657 1966 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 304 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona Unranked 1,801 1958 Insufficient historical volume
New York #759 11,305 1957 Insufficient historical volume
California #1068 13,287 1960 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #1121 3,645 1956 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 406 1946 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts Unranked 3,079 1952 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada Unranked 324 1961 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 348 1982 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
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👧 Sister Suggestions
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