Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1959

Lise

Meaning From the French, and possible also from Scandinavian, Lise Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

From the French, and possible also from Scandinavian, Lise.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Lise
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1959
157 babies
All-time total
2,791
#3,767 all-time among girls
First recorded
1922
in Social Security records

Lise popularity over time

2,791 babies have been named Lise since 1922, 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
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1959Girls

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 Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s 5 1 – #5,444
1930s 17 2 +240% #3,654
1940s 102 10 +500% #1,647
1950s 1,084 108 +963% #819
1960s 1,006 101 -7% #909
1970s 334 33 -67% #1,702
1980s 140 14 -58% #3,688
1990s 47 5 -66% #8,249
2000s 23 2 -51% #14,600
2010s 28 3 +22% #13,233
2020s (to 2025) 5 1 -70% #16,692

The story of Lise

Lise is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1922, 2,791 American babies have been named Lise. Its peak came in 1959, when 157 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

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 Lise stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Lise?

The median living Lise is about 63 years old; half are between 56 and 68. An estimated 2,400 people named Lise are alive in the United States today.

median 63 020406080100

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

Lise year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 5 #16,692
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 7 #13,233
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 5 #18,046
2014 – –
2013 5 #18,181
2012 5 #18,447
2011 – –
2010 6 #16,150
2009 6 #16,415
2008 – –
2007 6 #16,726
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 5 #17,283
2002 – –
2001 6 #14,600
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 10 #8,249
1985 13 #5,541
1980 16 #4,645
1975 29 #2,648
1970 51 #1,769
1965 86 #1,153
1960 113 #1,011
1955 117 #912
1950 38 #1,513
1945 7 #3,861
1940 5 #4,741
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Lise

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

  1. 1 Lise Meitner Lise Meitner Austrian-Swedish nuclear physicist (1878–1968) 19th century
  2. 2 Élisée Reclus Élisée Reclus French geographer, writer and anarchist 1830–1905 · 19th century
  3. 3 Lise Rønne Lise Rønne Danish journalist and television presenter (born 1978) Contemporary
  4. 4 Élise Bussaglia Élise Bussaglia French footballer (born 1985) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Lise?

The median living Lise is about 63 years old. Half of all living Lises are between 56 and 68 years old.

How many people named Lise are alive today?

An estimated 2,400 people named Lise are alive in the United States, based on 2,791 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Lise mean?

From the French, and possible also from Scandinavian, Lise.

How popular is the name Lise in 2025?

Lise did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Lise?

2,791 babies have been named Lise in the United States since 1922, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Lise most popular?

Lise peaked in 1959, when 157 newborns received the name.

Is Lise a boy or girl name?

Lise is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Lise rising or falling?

Lise is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Lise?

Well-known people named Lise include Lise Meitner (physicist), Élisée Reclus (geographer), Lise Rønne (journalist).

Names like Lise

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

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