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At a Glance: Name: Lee – Meaning: primarily 'dweller near a meadow or clearing' (Old English); also an anglicized rendering of unrelated Chinese (李) and Korean (이/리) surnames – Origin: English; also anglicized Chinese/Korean – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: LEE
Lee is a short, easy-to-say name (LEE, /ˈliː/) that works for any gender. In Old English it points to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing, and it has also long served as the anglicized form of the unrelated Chinese surname 李 and Korean surname 이/리. It's the kind of simple, nature-tied name that fits a bohemian, minimalist, outdoors-leaning sensibility.
Meaning & Origin of Lee
Meaning: Primarily 'dweller near a meadow or clearing' (old english); also an anglicized rendering of unrelated chinese (李) and korean (이/리) surnames.
Origin: English; also anglicized Chinese/Korean.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Lee
Phonetic: LEE IPA: /ˈliː/
Popularity of Lee
The SSA has tracked Lee since 1880, and it peaked at #39 in 1900 with 675 babies given the name. By 2024 it had slipped to #714, with 370 babies — still in use, just far below its early-1900s high.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Lee Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Lee, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Lee mean?
Primarily ‘dweller near a meadow or clearing’ (old english); also an anglicized rendering of unrelated chinese (李) and korean (이/리) surnames. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Lee)
How do you pronounce Lee?
Lee is pronounced LEE (IPA: /ˈliː/).
Is Lee a popular name right now?
Lee peaked at #39 in 1900 and is ranked #714 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Lee? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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