The English name sense derives from Old English lēah through its inflected form. Other Lee surname traditions are separate; this gloss describes the reviewed English route, not every person with this spelling.
Origin
English surname-linked given-name and separate short-form traditions
The entry records an Old English meadow-related surname tradition with given-name use and, separately, short forms of Leo or Leroy. Chinese and Korean surname senses are not assigned as universal given-name origins.
English pronunciation
/liː/
Recorded English reading; given-name, surname and short-form traditions are distinguished in the profile.
Recorded English reading, as published. Accents and preferred pronunciations can differ.
Published name usage
Counts apply only to the exact spelling, place, year and recorded usage shown. Places are separate; these figures are never added into a worldwide total. Missing or suppressed records never mean zero.
Latest published record available for this spelling in each place and recorded usage
Place
Year
Recorded usage
Published births
Rank
Notes
Canada
2025
Girls
7 · preliminary
2730
2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Canada
2025
Boys
23 · preliminary
1083
2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
France
2025
Girls
5 (rounded to 5)
5550
Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published.
France
2025
Boys
5 (rounded to 5)
4845
Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published.
England & Wales
2011
Girls
3
5785
Historical source: not all years independently cross-checked. Rank basis: source published.
England & Wales
2025
Boys
27
1093
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Northern Ireland
1999
Girls
3
344
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Northern Ireland
2018
Boys
5
319
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Scotland
2001
Girls
3
627
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Scotland
2025
Boys
3
762
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Ireland
2003
Girls
3
655
Names below three occurrences are unpublished. Accent recording changed in 2018; comparisons across that boundary may not describe the same spelling coverage. Counts refer to registrations in the year. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Ireland
2025
Boys
11
348
Names below three occurrences are unpublished. Accent recording changed in 2018; comparisons across that boundary may not describe the same spelling coverage. Counts refer to registrations in the year. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
United States
2025
Girls
21
5722
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
United States
2025
Boys
366
725
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
Canada, Ireland and France coverage includes confidently matched existing profiles only; unmatched spellings are awaiting review. French counts are rounded to five.
Sources & notes
Open an entry for its source, credit, licence and full qualifications. Different name traditions remain separate.
Language of use: English
Checked against cited source
Given-name use is documented in the reviewed English dictionary section. This is language-of-use evidence, distinct from historical origin or a bearer’s birth country, and not an exhaustive language list.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Meaning: Meadow, in the English topographic tradition.
Checked against cited source
The English name sense derives from Old English lēah through its inflected form. Other Lee surname traditions are separate; this gloss describes the reviewed English route, not every person with this spelling.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Short form of: Leo
Checked against cited source
Relationship documented in the reviewed English given-name section. The tradition may depend on the longer name; exact spelling-specific counts remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Short form of: Leroy
Checked against cited source
Relationship documented in the reviewed English given-name section. The tradition may depend on the longer name; exact spelling-specific counts remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Origin: English surname-linked given-name and separate short-form traditions
Checked against cited source
The entry records an Old English meadow-related surname tradition with given-name use and, separately, short forms of Leo or Leroy. Chinese and Korean surname senses are not assigned as universal given-name origins.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
English pronunciation: /liː/
Checked against cited source
Recorded English reading; given-name, surname and short-form traditions are distinguished in the profile.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
Credit: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
License: Statistics Canada Open Licence
Adaptation: Adapted from Statistics Canada, First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators, Table 17-10-0147-01, reference years 1991–2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
Credit: Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
License: CC BY 4.0
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: joined the published count and rank indicators and matched unambiguous existing spellings. Source values retained.
Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
Credit: Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
License: Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab)
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: column names and sex codes mapped and unique case-only spellings matched to existing profiles. Published rounded counts and ranks retained.