Harlee
Harlee was the 1048th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 237 babies. Its best year was 2017, when it ranked 621st with 483 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 206 places. More babies were named Harlee in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Harley) rock clearing or hare clearing · Old English
- Rank in 2025
- #1,048 girls, down 303 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 237girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2017483 babies
- Total since 1880
- 8,502babies recorded
What does the name Harlee mean?
Harlee is a spelling of Harley, pronounced the same way, so it shares Harley's meaning and origin.
Harley is an English place name, found in Shropshire and Yorkshire, that became a surname. Wiktionary derives it from Old English lēah, "wood, clearing", with hær, "rock, heap of stones", or hara, "hare". It is used as a first name for both boys and girls; the Harley-Davidson motorcycle brand and later the comic-book character Harley Quinn added to its popularity.
hara (Old English, “hare”)hær (Old English, “rock, heap of stones”)lēah (Old English, “wood, clearing”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. The second element is clear; the first may be 'rock' or 'hare'.
Related names: Harlee, Harlow, Hartley.
See also: English names, names that mean meadow, hill or valley, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Harley', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Harlow', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
Harlee popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 479 since 1915.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,048 | 237 |
| 2020 | #745 | 366 |
| 2010 | #1,143 | 214 |
| 2000 | #1,259 | 156 |
| 1990 | #5,926 | 15 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | #4,951 | 6 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Harlee, counting every spelling?
Harlee is a spelling of Harley, a name family that ranked #303 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,048 for Harlee on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,077 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harley | 748 | #418 | 4,463 |
| Harlee | 237 | #1,048 | 1,474 |
| Harlie | 70 | #2,520 | 441 |
| Harli | 22 | #5,616 | 145 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Harlee?
237 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Harlee (0.07 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Harlee born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 35 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Harlee.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Harlee?
About 8,000 people born in the US named Harlee are alive today, with a median age of 12; half are between 7 and 20. That makes Harlee a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Harlee by state
How common Harlee was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Mississippi (3.9×), Louisiana (2.9×), Alabama (2.2×), Arkansas (2.1×), Utah (2.0×). In 17 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Harlee: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Harlee, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Harlee
What does Harlee mean?
Harlee is a spelling of Harley, usually explained as “rock clearing or hare clearing”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Harlee?
Harlee was the 1048th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 237 babies. Its best year was 2017, when it ranked 621st with 483 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 206 places. More babies were named Harlee in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Harlee a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Harlee in the US.
Where is Harlee most popular?
In 2021–2025, Harlee was most common in Mississippi (0.70 per 1,000 girls), followed by Louisiana and Alabama.