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
Show data for
Peak · boys
1900 · 675 births
Debut · boys
361 births
In top 100 · boys
76 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
233,627
since 1880

Lee over time

girlsboys

Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201921peak #183, 1955peak #39, 1900girlsboys
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
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#5,72221#725366
2024#5,14825#716370
2023#5,24824#705377
2022#5,02826#698379
2021#7,25015#700378
2020#4,64828#768313
2019#5,98620#783297
2018#5,00726#689352
2017#5,82121#681369
2016#4,34533#664390
2015#5,45824#677375
2014#5,62523#703350
2013#4,75529#668361
2012#5,89522#662357
2011#6,33520#669353
2010#4,60831#676353
2009#4,93129#658374
2008#7,40817#670361
2007#6,09322#635382
2006#4,81129#610391
2005#5,60022#589384
2004#3,44443#557412
2003#3,34743#556403
2002#3,28342#516439
2001#2,66356#464513
2000#2,30667#469502
1999#1,94081#449510
1998#1,78987#403607
1997#1,98372#388615
1996#1,62594#343721
1995#1,522102#330774
1994#1,341125#297917
1993#1,126159#284989
1992#1,131156#2551,128
1991#1,106162#2291,300
1990#955197#2131,450
1989#816232#1881,545
1988#707269#1561,785
1987#744243#1541,811
1986#646286#1451,932
1985#610310#1422,005
1984#533360#1242,164
1983#513373#1381,917
1982#444485#1232,205
1981#414532#1232,215
1980#364652#1252,209
1979#363622#1292,078
1978#413490#1331,980
1977#377561#1332,014
1976#386532#1381,873
1975#360585#1371,858
1974#356608#1242,115
1973#336658#1232,106
1972#332691#1252,260
1971#308873#1282,472
1970#298970#1182,790
1969#2571,134#1182,762
1968#2391,160#1062,868
1967#2481,140#1032,960
1966#2411,211#1062,965
1965#2371,300#1162,772
1964#2481,272#1173,037
1963#2251,479#1193,016
1962#2331,380#1153,263
1961#2221,493#1223,127
1960#2181,531#1163,430
1959#2131,549#1153,509
1958#2001,696#1143,514
1957#1921,834#1053,588
1956#1841,937#1043,511
1955#1831,816#963,607
1954#2161,357#963,566
1953#2551,015#933,583
1952#256948#923,655
1951#259891#923,682
1950#268818#913,611
1949#270818#933,562
1948#264842#933,445
1947#254857#923,676
1946#248807#913,346
1945#257687#872,942
1944#280600#852,929
1943#284597#912,789
1942#282583#872,923
1941#283520#812,742
1940#283492#802,624
1939#286477#782,589
1938#296450#802,575
1937#297438#782,499
1936#292439#762,418
1935#280474#802,426
1934#306422#792,378
1933#310403#792,301
1932#293457#852,284
1931#302446#902,123
1930#308465#822,361
1929#308474#852,209
1928#291513#872,282
1927#302490#862,390
1926#285542#852,313
1925#292531#822,537
1924#303488#832,420
1923#289494#852,359
1922#291496#832,371
1921#303459#862,354
1920#281543#822,321
1919#289484#822,189
1918#281507#862,159
1917#281479#852,004
1916#275475#832,016
1915#279445#841,916
1914#254405#841,451
1913#272294#781,228
1912#253312#781,030
1911#244258#67646
1910#256224#49741
1909#256196#52584
1908#246197#51553
1907#244192#54516
1906#270150#57436
1905#251165#49486
1904#267139#45532
1903#297110#45477
1902#269134#46475
1901#30595#45424
1900#277138#39675
1899#30494#50388
1898#291111#46498
1897#29097#47453
1896#34073#48455
1895#28298#47478
1894#30183#45455
1893#33266#46445
1892#32668#46460
1891#30268#52342
1890#33258#43410
1889#27177#46415
1888#30561#48430
1887#27360#44400
1886#35237#47399
1885#29446#50348
1884#27748#43435
1883#24155#43388
1882#26543#41427
1881#25739#44342
1880#29428#43361
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 1921

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Lee, so not publishedAKMaine: #149 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 781 boysMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Lee, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Lee, so not publishedNHWashington: #94 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 459 boysWAIdaho: #50 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 181 boysIDMontana: #85 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 420 boysMTNorth Dakota: #174 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 948 boysNDMinnesota: #113 for boys · 36 births · 1 in 612 boysMNIllinois: #93 for boys · 92 births · 1 in 610 boysILWisconsin: #147 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 1,001 boysWIMichigan: #100 for boys · 65 births · 1 in 546 boysMINew York: #161 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 1,517 boysNYMassachusetts: #193 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,441 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Lee, so not publishedRIOregon: #91 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 400 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Lee, so not publishedNVWyoming: #71 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 279 boysWYSouth Dakota: #108 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 492 boysSDIowa: #91 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 436 boysIAIndiana: #95 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 559 boysINOhio: #126 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 965 boysOHPennsylvania: #122 for boys · 89 births · 1 in 1,001 boysPANew Jersey: #244 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 3,715 boysNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Lee, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #123 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 770 boysCAUtah: #61 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 251 boysUTColorado: #50 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 231 boysCONebraska: #94 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 440 boysNEMissouri: #60 for boys · 105 births · 1 in 280 boysMOKentucky: #59 for boys · 89 births · 1 in 296 boysKYWest Virginia: #73 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 382 boysWVVirginia: #72 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 385 boysVAMaryland: #78 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 419 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Lee, so not publishedDEArizona: #94 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 378 boysAZNew Mexico: #61 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 239 boysNMKansas: #79 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 334 boysKSArkansas: #42 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 199 boysARTennessee: #57 for boys · 83 births · 1 in 298 boysTNNorth Carolina: #47 for boys · 126 births · 1 in 264 boysNCSouth Carolina: #51 for boys · 75 births · 1 in 271 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Lee, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #46 for boys · 122 births · 1 in 188 boysOKLouisiana: #54 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 244 boysLAMississippi: #26 for boys · 121 births · 1 in 154 boysMSAlabama: #50 for boys · 99 births · 1 in 263 boysALGeorgia: #49 for boys · 123 births · 1 in 254 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Lee, so not publishedHITexas: #47 for boys · 211 births · 1 in 248 boysTXFlorida: #55 for boys · 36 births · 1 in 280 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Mississippi#26 · 1 in 154
  2. Arkansas#42 · 1 in 199
  3. Oklahoma#46 · 1 in 188
  4. Texas#47 · 1 in 248
  5. North Carolina#47 · 1 in 264

Best ever in a state: #14 in Nevada, 1931.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Mississippi#261211 in 154
Arkansas#42901 in 199
Oklahoma#461221 in 188
North Carolina#471261 in 264
Texas#472111 in 248
Georgia#491231 in 254
Alabama#50991 in 263
Colorado#50381 in 231
Idaho#50231 in 181
South Carolina#51751 in 271
Louisiana#54781 in 244
Florida#55361 in 280
Tennessee#57831 in 298
Kentucky#59891 in 296
Missouri#601051 in 280
New Mexico#61161 in 239
Utah#61201 in 251
Wyoming#7161 in 279
Virginia#72641 in 385
West Virginia#73441 in 382
Maryland#78321 in 419
Kansas#79491 in 334
Montana#85111 in 420
Iowa#91501 in 436
Oregon#91151 in 400
Illinois#93921 in 610
Arizona#9491 in 378
Nebraska#94281 in 440
Washington#94221 in 459
Indiana#95461 in 559
Michigan#100651 in 546
South Dakota#108131 in 492
Minnesota#113361 in 612
Pennsylvania#122891 in 1,001
California#123371 in 770
Ohio#126541 in 965
Wisconsin#147241 in 1,001
Maine#14981 in 781
New York#161611 in 1,517
North Dakota#17471 in 948
Massachusetts#193141 in 2,441
New Jersey#24481 in 3,715
Alaska
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Nevada
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Vermont

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
all girlsall boys
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s3,945#41 (1882)#45
1890s4,384#43 (1890)#47
1900s5,158#39 (1900)#48
1910s15,380#49 (1910)#78
1920s23,556#82 (1925)#84
1930s23,954#76 (1936)#81
1940s30,978#80 (1940)#88
1950s35,826#91 (1950)#100
1960s30,200#103 (1967)#114
1970s21,546#118 (1970)#129
1980s19,788#123 (1981)#142
1990s9,011#213 (1990)#319
2000s4,161#464 (2001)#572
2010s3,557#662 (2012)#687
2020s2,183#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 1921

girls
#303
459 births · 1 in 2,686 girls
boys
#86
2,354 births · 1 in 468 boys

Top girls' names in 1921

  1. #1Mary73,984
  2. #2Dorothy39,087
  3. #3Helen34,822
  4. #4Margaret28,468
  5. #5Ruth25,783
  6. #6Virginia19,032
  7. #7Mildred17,880
  8. #8Betty17,638
  9. #9Frances15,993
  10. #10Elizabeth15,800
  11. #303Lee459

Top boys' names in 1921

  1. #1John58,216
  2. #2Robert52,779
  3. #3William51,862
  4. #4James49,750
  5. #5Charles29,242
  6. #6George27,476
  7. #7Joseph26,182
  8. #8Edward20,817
  9. #9Frank16,705
  10. #10Richard16,376
  11. #86Lee2,354
More about 1921

girls

1,233,058 girls got a published name in 1921; 1 in 2,686 of them was named Lee, which outranked 94.8% of the 5,871 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Lee
  1. #300Cornelia477
  2. #301Cecile475
  3. #302Neva463
  4. #303Lee459
  5. #304Winnie458
  6. #305Aileen454
  7. #305Dollie454
Biggest movers since 1920
Risers
  1. 4,238Elwanda#4,975#737
  2. 458Noreen#1,255#797
  3. 440Venice#1,375#935
  4. 343Isobel#1,312#969
  5. 306Aida#1,119#813
Fallers
  1. 612Lilia#931#1,543
  2. 345Denise#931#1,276
  3. 330Aleen#968#1,298
  4. 269Virgil#968#1,237
  5. 265Aldona#903#1,168

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,101,449 boys got a published name in 1921; 1 in 468 of them was named Lee, which outranked 98.3% of the 4,985 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 31.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Lee
  1. #83Victor2,407
  2. #84Gordon2,382
  3. #85Sam2,367
  4. #86Lee2,354
  5. #87Harvey2,287
  6. #88Wallace2,095
  7. #89Willard2,077
Biggest movers since 1920
Risers
  1. 828Kevin#1,543#715
  2. 499Enrico#1,157#658
  3. 435Richmond#1,225#790
  4. 427Reynaldo#1,252#825
  5. 425Art#1,416#991
Fallers
  1. 391Stacy#835#1,226
  2. 279Gorden#947#1,226
  3. 248Brady#653#901
  4. 246Guillermo#812#1,058
  5. 219Lindsay#903#1,122

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1921