Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1960

Lei

Gender Girl · 5% boys Rank 2025 #16,279
Rank 2025
#16,279
among girls · ↑370 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
5
named Lei
How common
1 in 321,453
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1960
25 babies
All-time total
683
#9,978 all-time among girls
First recorded
1937
in Social Security records

Lei popularity over time

683 babies have been named Lei since 1937, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s 27 – 27 3 – #2,505
1940s 54 – 54 5 +100% #3,273
1950s 124 – 124 12 +130% #2,353
1960s 160 – 160 16 +29% #2,407
1970s 87 5 92 9 -43% #4,220
1980s 58 5 63 6 -32% #6,558
1990s 43 – 43 4 -32% #7,631
2000s 55 5 60 6 +40% #9,208
2010s 21 16 37 4 -38% #16,122
2020s (to 2025) 23 – 23 4 +4% #12,884

The story of Lei

Lei is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #16,279 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1937, 683 American babies have been named Lei. Its peak came in 1960, when 25 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lei stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Lei?

The median living Lei is about 55 years old; half are between 35 and 65. An estimated 600 people named Lei are alive in the United States today.

median 55 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Lei year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 5 #16,279 – –
2024 5 #16,649 – –
2023 7 #12,884 – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 6 #14,397 – –
2019 – – – –
2018 5 #17,075 – –
2017 – – – –
2016 5 #17,740 – –
2015 – – 6 #11,544
2014 – – 5 #13,253
2013 5 #18,126 – –
2012 – – 5 #13,420
2011 – – – –
2010 6 #16,122 – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 7 #14,459 – –
2005 11 #9,843 – –
2004 9 #11,233 – –
2003 – – – –
2002 11 #9,208 5 #11,757
2001 7 #12,849 – –
2000 10 #9,582 – –
1995 9 #9,200 – –
1990 11 #7,631 – –
1985 6 #10,033 – –
1980 10 #6,558 5 #6,841
1975 – – – –
1970 12 #4,638 – –
1965 12 #3,846 – –
1960 25 #2,407 – –
1955 13 #3,304 – –
1950 8 #4,154 – –
1945 9 #3,273 – –
1940 6 #4,123 – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Lei

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Lei Jun Lei Jun Chinese billionaire entrepreneur (born 1969) Contemporary
  2. 2 Lei Feng Lei Feng Chinese soldier (1940–1962) Contemporary
  3. 3 Lei Tingjie Lei Tingjie Chinese chess grandmaster (born 1997) Contemporary
  4. 4 Lei Clijsters Lei Clijsters Belgian footballer 1956–2009 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Lei, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Lei?

The median living Lei is about 55 years old. Half of all living Leis are between 35 and 65 years old.

How many people named Lei are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Lei are alive in the United States, based on 683 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Lei in 2025?

Lei ranked #16,279 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Lei?

683 babies have been named Lei in the United States since 1937, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Lei most popular?

Lei peaked in 1960, when 25 newborns received the name.

Is Lei a boy or girl name?

Lei is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 95% of babies with the name.

Is the name Lei rising or falling?

Lei is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Lei?

Well-known people named Lei include Lei Jun (businessperson), Lei Feng (military personnel), Lei Tingjie (chess player).

Names like Lei

Names that sound and feel close to Lei: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Lei with similar names → More names starting with L →