Unisex name
Lee name meaning
“clearing; meadow”
Lee means “clearing” or “meadow” in its English naming tradition. It developed as a given name from a surname rooted in Old English lēah. In Türkiye, it is used for both genders. Its landscape image is a grassy opening among trees; East Asian surnames spelled Lee have separate origins.
- Gender
- ♂♀ Unisex
- Origin
- European languages
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- Rare
What does Lee mean?
Clearing; meadow
In Turkish: açıklık; çayır
Lee is a short English given name used for both men and women. Its landscape meaning concerns a clearing or meadow, often an open area within woodland. Leigh is a related spelling. Each record should nevertheless be distinguished from surname use and unrelated names with the same Latin spelling.
Origin of the name Lee
As an English given name, Lee comes from a surname based on Old English lēah, ‘clearing or meadow’. East Asian surnames written Lee have separate origins.
| Linguistic origin | European languages |
|---|---|
| Is Lee in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | L · Le |
How to pronounce Lee
| Syllables | 2 · 3 letters · 3-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /lee/ |
Is Lee a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Lee is used for both boys and girls. See all unisex names.
Lee does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Lee
Names with related meanings
- Defne♀Bay laurel, an aromatic evergreen tree
- Asel♀Honey, the sweet substance made by bees
- Lina♀A kind of date palm
- Eylül♀September
- Poyraz♂The cool, strong northeasterly wind
- Kuzey♂North
- Nehir♀River, large flowing stream
- Çınar♂Plane tree
- Ada♀İsland
- Ceylin♀Gazelle
- Ayaz♂Sharp dry cold under clear skies
- Doğa♀Nature
FAQ about the name Lee
What is the meaning of Lee?
Lee means “clearing; meadow”. As an English given name, Lee comes from a surname based on Old English lēah, ‘clearing or meadow’. East Asian surnames written Lee have separate origins.
Is Lee a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Lee is used for both boys and girls.
Is Lee in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Lee nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Lee?
Lee is of European languages origin.
How many syllables does Lee have?
Lee has 2 syllables and 3 letters.
How popular is the name Lee?
Lee does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025).
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm11899 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake