Lee is a unisex name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Lee means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Lee across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Lee has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Lee is a unisex name of Old English origin meaning “clearing, meadow”. originally a place name and surname.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 295,926 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 7,908 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 8,693 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 695 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 4,404 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 872 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Lee per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1956 (5,448/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (1,059/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1976 (430/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1996 (197/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (82/yr).
Lee has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1956, when it ranked #161 nationally (given to 5,448 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
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