Lee vs Steven
Lee and Stevencompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1985, Lee was ranked #84 and Steven #27 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1987, Lee was ranked #80 and Steven #30 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Lee was ranked #727 and Steven #307 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2018, Lee was ranked #319 and Steven #365 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Lee was ranked #348 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Lee was ranked #1235 and Steven #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Lee and Steven over time
Lee and Steven appear together in 5 published lists, across 136 years of shared records. Lee held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Steven in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Steven reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Lee in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lee and Steven changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1235 and #800.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Lee and Steven averaged 57.0 places apart, ending at #319 and #365.
- Longest-running competitions
Lee and Steven were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 54 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #348 and #829.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Lee #64 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #64 and #73 in England and Wales · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #1235 and #800.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1970–2025
Lee held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Steven in 22.
Highest recorded here: Lee #42 in 1998, Steven #57 in 1990.
The order changed in 2025: Lee moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #582 and #302; by 2025 that had become #348 and #829.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lee #348, Steven #829.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lee held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Steven in 13.
Highest recorded here: Lee #64 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
The order changed in 2015: Steven moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #419 and #438; by 2015 that had become #526 and #403.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lee #1235, Steven #800.
Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 1997–2018
Lee held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Steven in 2.
Highest recorded here: Lee #42 in 1997, Steven #54 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Lee #319, Steven #365.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys18 shared years, 1959–1985
Lee held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Steven in 18.
Highest recorded here: Lee #56 in 1980, Steven #14 in 1959.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Lee #84, Steven #27.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1969–1987
Lee held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Steven in 13.
Highest recorded here: Lee #67 in 1977, Steven #15 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Lee #80, Steven #30.
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 | Lee | Steven |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lee has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Steven.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Steven
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2000
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys