Pronunciation
Lee
Meaning
Inspired by the River Lee
Fun fact
The River Lee flows through County Cork and gives this familiar name an Irish place connection. It’s a lovely example of how a name used around the world can also hold a local story.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Lee, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
#348Rank among boy names in 202511Babies registered in 2025
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #348 |
| 2024 | 5 | #582 |
| 2023 | 9 | #396 |
| 2022 | 11 | #367 |
| 2021 | 14 | #312 |
| 2020 | 14 | #307 |
| 2019 | 17 | #268 |
| 2018 | 30 | #187 |
| 2017 | 31 | #188 |
| 2016 | 36 | #166 |
| 2015 | 38 | #164 |
| 2014 | 42 | #157 |
| 2013 | 52 | #126 |
| 2012 | 69 | #103 |
| 2011 | 67 | #111 |
| 2010 | 98 | #82 |
| 2009 | 88 | #90 |
| 2008 | 104 | #78 |
| 2007 | 114 | #70 |
| 2006 | 138 | #55 |
| 2005 | 162 | #46 |
| 2004 | 161 | #46 |
| 2003 | 147 | #42 |
| 2002 | 153 | #46 |
| 2001 | 158 | #47 |
| 2000 | 158 | #44 |
| 1999 | 143 | #46 |
| 1998 | 143 | #42 |
| 1997 | 186 | #45 |
| 1996 | 197 | #43 |
| 1995 | 159 | #50 |
| 1994 | 143 | #52 |
| 1993 | 121 | #61 |
| 1992 | 130 | #58 |
| 1991 | 102 | #66 |
| 1990 | 76 | #84 |
| 1989 | 80 | #81 |
| 1988 | 88 | #75 |
| 1987 | 68 | #84 |
| 1986 | 75 | #84 |
| 1985 | 74 | #86 |
| 1984 | 44 | #116 |
| 1983 | 52 | #105 |
| 1982 | 41 | #119 |
| 1981 | 52 | #108 |
| 1980 | 43 | #121 |
| 1979 | 46 | #113 |
| 1978 | 34 | #124 |
| 1977 | 36 | #121 |
| 1976 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1975 | 28 | #127 |
| 1974 | 19 | #159 |
| 1973 | 17 | #169 |
| 1972 | 16 | #168 |
| 1971 | 8 | #217 |
| 1970 | 11 | #185 |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.