Lise
From the French, and possible also from Scandinavian, Lise.
Every Lise since 1922 — 2,791 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Lise Meitner Physicist · 1878–1968
- Élisée Reclus Geographer · 1830–1905
- Lise Rønne Journalist · b. 1978
- Élise Bussaglia Soccer player · b. 1985
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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).