Lee Unisex

Popularity: #585 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: lee /liː/

Origin: English; Chinese

Meaning: English: meadow; Chinese: plum

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Lee has its roots in Old English, derived from the word "leah," which means a clearing or meadow. This term evolved through various forms, including the Old English "Leah," before being adopted into Middle English.

The name was brought into the English language during the early medieval period, particularly after the Anglo-Saxon settlement of England in the 5th century. It has also been linked to the Old High German word "liuh," meaning "light," although this connection is less direct in the context of English usage.

Historically, the name Lee has been borne by notable figures, including several saints and biblical references. One of the earliest recorded uses of Lee as a surname can be traced back to the 12th century, where it was often used to denote someone who lived near a meadow or clearing.

The name gained further prominence through various historical figures, including General Robert E. Lee, a key figure in the American Civil War during the 19th century, which contributed to its recognition in American culture.

Culturally, the name Lee has been associated with notions of peace and tranquility, reflective of its meaning related to open spaces. In addition, it has been used in various literary and artistic contexts, symbolizing simplicity and nature.

The name has several diminutive forms, such as Lee-Ann or Lee-Jay, which have emerged in different cultural contexts, but the core name remains significant in its own right. Overall, Lee's enduring presence in English-speaking cultures can be attributed to its straightforward meaning and historical associations.

Famous people named Lee

In this section, you will find notable people named Lee. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Lee who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Lee who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Lee Iacocca is a businessman best known for the Ford Mustang, Chrysler Corporation turnaround, and his autobiography Iacocca.

Lee Pace is an actor best known for The Hobbit trilogy, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Pushing Daisies.

Lee Majors is an actor best known for The Six Million Dollar Man, The Fall Guy, and The Big Valley.

Lee Ann Womack is a country music singer best known for I Hope You Dance, Something Worth Leaving Behind, and Last Call.

Lee Daniels is a director and producer best known for Precious, The Butler, and Empire.

Lee Child is an author best known for the Jack Reacher series, One Shot, and Killing Floor.

Lee Marvin is an actor best known for The Dirty Dozen, Cat Ballou, and Point Blank.

Lee Ranaldo is a musician best known as a member of Sonic Youth, and for his solo work and collaborations.

Lee Corso is a sports broadcaster best known for his work on College GameDay and as a college football analyst.

Fictional characters named Lee

The following list of fictional characters named Lee is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Lee is a fictional character from the comic series The Walking Dead. He is a prominent character who plays a crucial role in the survival and moral dilemmas faced by the group during the zombie apocalypse.

Lee Everett is a fictional character from the video game series The Walking Dead. He is the main protagonist in the first season, guiding a young girl named Clementine through a post-apocalyptic world.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lee, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Lee. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Lee was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Lee has ranked as high as #190 nationally, which occurred in 1951, and has been most popular in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Lee has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Lee is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Lee was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Lee (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
CA 24
7%
PA 24
7%
TX 21
6%
IL 20
6%
NC 18
5%
LA 15
4%
NY 15
4%
FL 15
4%
OH 15
4%
IA 15
4%
TN 13
4%
WA 12
4%
AZ 12
4%
MI 11
3%
IN 11
3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Lee.

YearBirths
2024370
2023376
2022377
2021377
2020313
2019297
2018352
2017369
2016390
2015375
2014349
2013361
2012357
2011353
2010353
2009374
2008361
2007382
2006391
2005384
2004412
2003403
2002439
2001513
2000502
1999510
1998607
1997615
1996721
1995774
1994917
1993990
19921,128
19911,299
19901,450
19891,545
19881,784
19871,811
19861,932
19852,006
19842,164
19831,917
19822,204
19812,215
19802,209
19792,079
19781,980
19772,014
19761,874
19751,859
19742,115
19732,106
19722,259
19712,472
19702,791
19692,762
19682,868
19672,961
19662,964
19652,773
19643,037
19633,015
19623,260
19613,126
19603,432
19593,508
19583,517
19573,588
19563,509
19553,606
19543,566
19533,584
19523,655
19513,682
19503,611
19493,562
19483,445
19473,676
19463,346
19452,942
19442,929
19432,789
19422,922
19412,744
19402,623
19392,589
19382,575
19372,499
19362,418
19352,426
19342,378
19332,301
19322,284
19312,123
19302,361
19292,209
19282,282
19272,390
19262,313
19252,537
19242,420
19232,359
19222,371
19212,354
19202,321
19192,189
19182,159
19172,004
19162,016
19151,916
19141,451
19131,228
19121,030
1911646
1910741
1909584
1908553
1907516
1906436
1905486
1904532
1903477
1902475
1901424
1900675
1899388
1898498
1897453
1896455
1895478
1894455
1893445
1892460
1891342
1890410
1889415
1888430
1887400
1886399
1885348
1884435
1883388
1882427
1881342
1880361