Lee
Boy name · #725 in 2025 · Rare
Lee is currently the #725 boy name in the United States — 366 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #677, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,918 boys born in 2025 was named Lee.
Babies named Lee per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Lee first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 361 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1951, when 3,682 boys were named Lee — good for #92 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lee against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lee in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lee is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Lee will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Lee is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lee is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Lee is most common in IA (1 per 1,000), PA (0.5 per 1,000), IN (0.5 per 1,000), WI (0.4 per 1,000), WA (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Lee is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Lee
Statistically, parents drawn to Lee tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lawrence, Eddie, Wayne, Ray, and Joe.
LawrenceEddieWayneRayJoeLanceNeilRoy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lee | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 366 | #725 |
| 2024 | 370 | #716 |
| 2023 | 377 | #705 |
| 2022 | 379 | #698 |
| 2021 | 378 | #700 |
| 2020 | 313 | #768 |
| 2019 | 297 | #783 |
| 2018 | 352 | #689 |
| 2017 | 369 | #681 |
| 2016 | 390 | #664 |
| 2015 | 375 | #677 |
| 2014 | 350 | #703 |
| 2013 | 361 | #668 |
| 2012 | 357 | #662 |
| 2011 | 353 | #669 |
| 2010 | 353 | #676 |
| 2009 | 374 | #658 |
| 2008 | 361 | #670 |
| 2007 | 382 | #635 |
| 2006 | 391 | #610 |
| 2005 | 384 | #589 |
| 2004 | 412 | #557 |
| 2003 | 403 | #556 |
| 2002 | 439 | #516 |
| 2001 | 513 | #464 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lee a popular boy name?
Lee ranked #725 among boys in 2025 with 366 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #677.
When was the name Lee most popular?
Lee peaked in 1951, when 3,682 American boys received the name (ranked #92 that year). Since 1951 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lee?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,918 newborn American boys was named Lee. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.