Lee
#5,722 for girls in 2025, 21 births · #725 for boys in 2025, 366 births
Given to boys 78.9% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 1900 · 675 births
- Debut · boys
- 361 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 76 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 233,627since 1880
Lee over time
girlsboys
Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #5,722 | 21 | #725 | 366 |
| 2024 | #5,148 | 25 | #716 | 370 |
| 2023 | #5,248 | 24 | #705 | 377 |
| 2022 | #5,028 | 26 | #698 | 379 |
| 2021 | #7,250 | 15 | #700 | 378 |
| 2020 | #4,648 | 28 | #768 | 313 |
| 2019 | #5,986 | 20 | #783 | 297 |
| 2018 | #5,007 | 26 | #689 | 352 |
| 2017 | #5,821 | 21 | #681 | 369 |
| 2016 | #4,345 | 33 | #664 | 390 |
| 2015 | #5,458 | 24 | #677 | 375 |
| 2014 | #5,625 | 23 | #703 | 350 |
| 2013 | #4,755 | 29 | #668 | 361 |
| 2012 | #5,895 | 22 | #662 | 357 |
| 2011 | #6,335 | 20 | #669 | 353 |
| 2010 | #4,608 | 31 | #676 | 353 |
| 2009 | #4,931 | 29 | #658 | 374 |
| 2008 | #7,408 | 17 | #670 | 361 |
| 2007 | #6,093 | 22 | #635 | 382 |
| 2006 | #4,811 | 29 | #610 | 391 |
| 2005 | #5,600 | 22 | #589 | 384 |
| 2004 | #3,444 | 43 | #557 | 412 |
| 2003 | #3,347 | 43 | #556 | 403 |
| 2002 | #3,283 | 42 | #516 | 439 |
| 2001 | #2,663 | 56 | #464 | 513 |
| 2000 | #2,306 | 67 | #469 | 502 |
| 1999 | #1,940 | 81 | #449 | 510 |
| 1998 | #1,789 | 87 | #403 | 607 |
| 1997 | #1,983 | 72 | #388 | 615 |
| 1996 | #1,625 | 94 | #343 | 721 |
| 1995 | #1,522 | 102 | #330 | 774 |
| 1994 | #1,341 | 125 | #297 | 917 |
| 1993 | #1,126 | 159 | #284 | 989 |
| 1992 | #1,131 | 156 | #255 | 1,128 |
| 1991 | #1,106 | 162 | #229 | 1,300 |
| 1990 | #955 | 197 | #213 | 1,450 |
| 1989 | #816 | 232 | #188 | 1,545 |
| 1988 | #707 | 269 | #156 | 1,785 |
| 1987 | #744 | 243 | #154 | 1,811 |
| 1986 | #646 | 286 | #145 | 1,932 |
| 1985 | #610 | 310 | #142 | 2,005 |
| 1984 | #533 | 360 | #124 | 2,164 |
| 1983 | #513 | 373 | #138 | 1,917 |
| 1982 | #444 | 485 | #123 | 2,205 |
| 1981 | #414 | 532 | #123 | 2,215 |
| 1980 | #364 | 652 | #125 | 2,209 |
| 1979 | #363 | 622 | #129 | 2,078 |
| 1978 | #413 | 490 | #133 | 1,980 |
| 1977 | #377 | 561 | #133 | 2,014 |
| 1976 | #386 | 532 | #138 | 1,873 |
| 1975 | #360 | 585 | #137 | 1,858 |
| 1974 | #356 | 608 | #124 | 2,115 |
| 1973 | #336 | 658 | #123 | 2,106 |
| 1972 | #332 | 691 | #125 | 2,260 |
| 1971 | #308 | 873 | #128 | 2,472 |
| 1970 | #298 | 970 | #118 | 2,790 |
| 1969 | #257 | 1,134 | #118 | 2,762 |
| 1968 | #239 | 1,160 | #106 | 2,868 |
| 1967 | #248 | 1,140 | #103 | 2,960 |
| 1966 | #241 | 1,211 | #106 | 2,965 |
| 1965 | #237 | 1,300 | #116 | 2,772 |
| 1964 | #248 | 1,272 | #117 | 3,037 |
| 1963 | #225 | 1,479 | #119 | 3,016 |
| 1962 | #233 | 1,380 | #115 | 3,263 |
| 1961 | #222 | 1,493 | #122 | 3,127 |
| 1960 | #218 | 1,531 | #116 | 3,430 |
| 1959 | #213 | 1,549 | #115 | 3,509 |
| 1958 | #200 | 1,696 | #114 | 3,514 |
| 1957 | #192 | 1,834 | #105 | 3,588 |
| 1956 | #184 | 1,937 | #104 | 3,511 |
| 1955 | #183 | 1,816 | #96 | 3,607 |
| 1954 | #216 | 1,357 | #96 | 3,566 |
| 1953 | #255 | 1,015 | #93 | 3,583 |
| 1952 | #256 | 948 | #92 | 3,655 |
| 1951 | #259 | 891 | #92 | 3,682 |
| 1950 | #268 | 818 | #91 | 3,611 |
| 1949 | #270 | 818 | #93 | 3,562 |
| 1948 | #264 | 842 | #93 | 3,445 |
| 1947 | #254 | 857 | #92 | 3,676 |
| 1946 | #248 | 807 | #91 | 3,346 |
| 1945 | #257 | 687 | #87 | 2,942 |
| 1944 | #280 | 600 | #85 | 2,929 |
| 1943 | #284 | 597 | #91 | 2,789 |
| 1942 | #282 | 583 | #87 | 2,923 |
| 1941 | #283 | 520 | #81 | 2,742 |
| 1940 | #283 | 492 | #80 | 2,624 |
| 1939 | #286 | 477 | #78 | 2,589 |
| 1938 | #296 | 450 | #80 | 2,575 |
| 1937 | #297 | 438 | #78 | 2,499 |
| 1936 | #292 | 439 | #76 | 2,418 |
| 1935 | #280 | 474 | #80 | 2,426 |
| 1934 | #306 | 422 | #79 | 2,378 |
| 1933 | #310 | 403 | #79 | 2,301 |
| 1932 | #293 | 457 | #85 | 2,284 |
| 1931 | #302 | 446 | #90 | 2,123 |
| 1930 | #308 | 465 | #82 | 2,361 |
| 1929 | #308 | 474 | #85 | 2,209 |
| 1928 | #291 | 513 | #87 | 2,282 |
| 1927 | #302 | 490 | #86 | 2,390 |
| 1926 | #285 | 542 | #85 | 2,313 |
| 1925 | #292 | 531 | #82 | 2,537 |
| 1924 | #303 | 488 | #83 | 2,420 |
| 1923 | #289 | 494 | #85 | 2,359 |
| 1922 | #291 | 496 | #83 | 2,371 |
| 1921 | #303 | 459 | #86 | 2,354 |
| 1920 | #281 | 543 | #82 | 2,321 |
| 1919 | #289 | 484 | #82 | 2,189 |
| 1918 | #281 | 507 | #86 | 2,159 |
| 1917 | #281 | 479 | #85 | 2,004 |
| 1916 | #275 | 475 | #83 | 2,016 |
| 1915 | #279 | 445 | #84 | 1,916 |
| 1914 | #254 | 405 | #84 | 1,451 |
| 1913 | #272 | 294 | #78 | 1,228 |
| 1912 | #253 | 312 | #78 | 1,030 |
| 1911 | #244 | 258 | #67 | 646 |
| 1910 | #256 | 224 | #49 | 741 |
| 1909 | #256 | 196 | #52 | 584 |
| 1908 | #246 | 197 | #51 | 553 |
| 1907 | #244 | 192 | #54 | 516 |
| 1906 | #270 | 150 | #57 | 436 |
| 1905 | #251 | 165 | #49 | 486 |
| 1904 | #267 | 139 | #45 | 532 |
| 1903 | #297 | 110 | #45 | 477 |
| 1902 | #269 | 134 | #46 | 475 |
| 1901 | #305 | 95 | #45 | 424 |
| 1900 | #277 | 138 | #39 | 675 |
| 1899 | #304 | 94 | #50 | 388 |
| 1898 | #291 | 111 | #46 | 498 |
| 1897 | #290 | 97 | #47 | 453 |
| 1896 | #340 | 73 | #48 | 455 |
| 1895 | #282 | 98 | #47 | 478 |
| 1894 | #301 | 83 | #45 | 455 |
| 1893 | #332 | 66 | #46 | 445 |
| 1892 | #326 | 68 | #46 | 460 |
| 1891 | #302 | 68 | #52 | 342 |
| 1890 | #332 | 58 | #43 | 410 |
| 1889 | #271 | 77 | #46 | 415 |
| 1888 | #305 | 61 | #48 | 430 |
| 1887 | #273 | 60 | #44 | 400 |
| 1886 | #352 | 37 | #47 | 399 |
| 1885 | #294 | 46 | #50 | 348 |
| 1884 | #277 | 48 | #43 | 435 |
| 1883 | #241 | 55 | #43 | 388 |
| 1882 | #265 | 43 | #41 | 427 |
| 1881 | #257 | 39 | #44 | 342 |
| 1880 | #294 | 28 | #43 | 361 |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Lee was already there! It came in at #43, and was given to 361 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 2002–2025, when fewer than 440 boys a year got the name.
Where Lee is popular in 1940
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- Utah#37 · 1 in 154
- Mississippi#37 · 1 in 177
- Arkansas#42 · 1 in 205
- Alabama#51 · 1 in 277
- Idaho#54 · 1 in 221
Best ever in a state: #14 in Nevada, 1931.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | #37 | 123 | 1 in 177 |
| Utah | #37 | 36 | 1 in 154 |
| Arkansas | #42 | 94 | 1 in 205 |
| Alabama | #51 | 104 | 1 in 277 |
| Idaho | #54 | 22 | 1 in 221 |
| Washington | #56 | 48 | 1 in 262 |
| Florida | #57 | 58 | 1 in 267 |
| Delaware | #60 | 6 | 1 in 304 |
| Wisconsin | #60 | 80 | 1 in 314 |
| Wyoming | #65 | 7 | 1 in 266 |
| North Carolina | #66 | 112 | 1 in 330 |
| Louisiana | #68 | 77 | 1 in 294 |
| Nebraska | #69 | 28 | 1 in 347 |
| Montana | #70 | 16 | 1 in 295 |
| Texas | #71 | 174 | 1 in 358 |
| Arizona | #72 | 18 | 1 in 279 |
| North Dakota | #72 | 17 | 1 in 328 |
| South Dakota | #73 | 16 | 1 in 316 |
| Vermont | #74 | 7 | 1 in 364 |
| Oregon | #75 | 23 | 1 in 344 |
| South Carolina | #76 | 57 | 1 in 372 |
| Michigan | #78 | 103 | 1 in 447 |
| Pennsylvania | #78 | 151 | 1 in 509 |
| Georgia | #79 | 81 | 1 in 384 |
| Illinois | #79 | 133 | 1 in 443 |
| Kentucky | #80 | 73 | 1 in 391 |
| Tennessee | #82 | 62 | 1 in 450 |
| California | #83 | 121 | 1 in 436 |
| Missouri | #83 | 67 | 1 in 436 |
| Ohio | #83 | 108 | 1 in 501 |
| Minnesota | #84 | 54 | 1 in 443 |
| New Mexico | #85 | 19 | 1 in 314 |
| Colorado | #86 | 24 | 1 in 409 |
| Iowa | #87 | 43 | 1 in 489 |
| District of Columbia | #91 | 12 | 1 in 528 |
| Oklahoma | #93 | 48 | 1 in 444 |
| Maryland | #95 | 23 | 1 in 586 |
| New Jersey | #96 | 34 | 1 in 799 |
| Virginia | #96 | 52 | 1 in 470 |
| Kansas | #97 | 29 | 1 in 446 |
| Massachusetts | #97 | 35 | 1 in 877 |
| Connecticut | #99 | 14 | 1 in 794 |
| New York | #99 | 126 | 1 in 744 |
| Maine | #111 | 11 | 1 in 581 |
| Indiana | #115 | 39 | 1 in 729 |
| West Virginia | #126 | 26 | 1 in 745 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Lee
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
- 9 spots since 2024 (#716 → #725)
- 43 spots since 2020 (#768 → #725)
- 48 spots since 2015 (#677 → #725)
- Biggest jump: 68 spots in 2021 (#768 → #700)
- Biggest drop: 94 spots in 2019 (#689 → #783)
Rise & fade · boys
20 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1900 at #39 (675 births)
- Births halved by 2019, 119 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 76 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 76 yrs · run 1880–1955
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 223
- Highest: 1 in 223 boys born in 1900 were named Lee (0.45%)
- Latest: 1 in 4,667 boys born in 2025 (0.02%)
Era · boys
The 1950s
- 15.3% of all boys named Lee (35,826) were born in this decade
Girls or boys?
Never flipped
- The majority has never changed
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,945 | #41 (1882) | #45 |
| 1890s | 4,384 | #43 (1890) | #47 |
| 1900s | 5,158 | #39 (1900) | #48 |
| 1910s | 15,380 | #49 (1910) | #78 |
| 1920s | 23,556 | #82 (1925) | #84 |
| 1930s | 23,954 | #76 (1936) | #81 |
| 1940s | 30,978 | #80 (1940) | #88 |
| 1950s | 35,826 | #91 (1950) | #100 |
| 1960s | 30,200 | #103 (1967) | #114 |
| 1970s | 21,546 | #118 (1970) | #129 |
| 1980s | 19,788 | #123 (1981) | #142 |
| 1990s | 9,011 | #213 (1990) | #319 |
| 2000s | 4,161 | #464 (2001) | #572 |
| 2010s | 3,557 | #662 (2012) | #687 |
| 2020s | 2,183 | #698 (2022) | #719 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Lee in 1940
girls
#283
492 births · 1 in 2,324 girls
boys
#80
2,624 births · 1 in 442 boys
Top girls' names in 1940
Top boys' names in 1940
More about 1940
girls
1,143,528 girls got a published name in 1940; 1 in 2,324 of them was named Lee, which outranked 94.4% of the 5,028 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Biggest movers since 1939
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,159,172 boys got a published name in 1940; 1 in 442 of them was named Lee, which outranked 98.0% of the 3,937 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Lee
Biggest movers since 1939
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.