Edward vs Lee
Edward and Leecompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #31 and Lee #1235 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1987, Edward was ranked #59 and Lee #80 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1985, Edward was ranked #77 and Lee #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Edward was ranked #125 and Lee #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2018, Edward was ranked #135 and Lee #319 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #181 and Lee #727 among boys in Scotland.
Edward and Lee over time
Edward and Lee appear together in 5 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Edward held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Lee in 2.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2011, Edward moved ahead of Lee in Northern Ireland · Boys — #173 and #127 the year before became #135 and #191.
- Longest-running competitions
Edward and Lee were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #125 and #348.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Edward #104 in 1997, Lee #42 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1970–2025
Edward held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Lee in 19.
Highest recorded here: Edward #21 in 1972, Lee #42 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #125, Lee #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Edward held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Lee in 0.
Highest recorded here: Edward #23 in 2016, Lee #64 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #31, Lee #1235.
Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 1997–2018
Edward held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Lee in 14.
Highest recorded here: Edward #104 in 1997, Lee #42 in 1997.
The order changed in 2011: Edward moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #173 and #127; by 2011 that had become #135 and #191.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Edward #135, Lee #319.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys18 shared years, 1959–1985
Edward held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lee in 11.
Highest recorded here: Edward #64 in 1959, Lee #56 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Edward #77, Lee #84.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1969–1987
Edward held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lee in 3.
Highest recorded here: Edward #58 in 1981, Lee #67 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Edward #59, Lee #80.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Edward | Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Edward has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Lee.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Edward
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Lee
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2018
Highest recorded position: #42 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2018).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys