How Many People Are Named Lee?
Complete statistics for the name Lee: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Lee is a classic English name meaning meadow or clearing, with roots in Old English. About 164,628 people named Lee are living in the US today, making it 1 in 2,005 Americans. It spent 5 years in the US top 10, but these days it skews heavily older, with the average Lee being around 74 years old.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life path number 4 is traditionally associated with practicality, hard work, and building solid foundations. People connected to the number 4 are seen as reliable and disciplined, with a strong drive to create lasting stability in their lives.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 74All 295,145 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1956Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Stable
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Lee Through the Generations
Lee had its golden era in the mid-twentieth century, peaking in 1956 with 5,446 births in a single year. That kind of popularity left a lasting mark, but the numbers tell a clear story about who's carrying the name today. A striking 70% of all living Lees are over 60, and the age split backs that up hard: 206,765 are over 60, compared to just 12,239 under 30. That's a ratio of roughly 17 to 1. The gap between all-time births of 295,145 and the estimated living count of 164,628 reflects how many Lees belong to older generations now passing on. The trend is stable, but stable at a low level. New parents just aren't choosing Lee the way they once did, so the name's average age of 74 will likely keep climbing. It's a name that belongs, more than most, to a specific slice of American history.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Lee
Lee is a unisex given name from the English word 'lee'. It is also used as a surname, often confused with the Old English surname and given name leah, which evolved to 'leigh' in Middle English, and present-day 'lea' with the same meaning.…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Lee's Old English roots
📄 About the Name Lee
How Many People Have the Name Lee?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 695,657 people in the United States currently share the name Lee. That works out to roughly 1 in every 476 Americans, placing it in the Common category.
Is Lee a Common or Rare Name?
Lee is classified as Common. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Lee Mean?
Lee means "meadow or woodland clearing" and comes from Old English origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 4.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Lee in SSA data, approximately 76% are male and 24% are female.
When Was Lee Most Popular?
The name Lee reached peak popularity in 1956, with 5,446 babies registered that year. Current trend: Stable.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Lee?
Approximately 695,657 people named Lee live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 695,657. That works out to roughly 1 in 476 Americans.
Is Lee a rare name?
Lee is classified as Common in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 476 Americans has this name.
What does the name Lee mean?
Lee means "meadow or woodland clearing" and comes from Old English origins.
Is Lee more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 76% of people named Lee are male and 24% are female.
When was Lee most popular?
Lee peaked in 1956 with 5,446 births that year. Current trend: Stable.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.