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Home › Baby Names Directory › Harlee

Harlee

♀ Girl

Pronounced HAR-lee /ˈhɑːr.li/High

Meaning: Hare's meadow or clearing; a spelling variant of Harley, from Old English hara (hare) + leah (clearing)High

In 30 seconds: A spelling variant of Harley meaning 'hare's meadow' in Old English. The -ee ending gives this classic English place-name surname a softer, more explicitly feminine feel.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningHare's meadow or clearing; a spelling variant of Harley, from Old English hara (hare) + leah (clearing)
U.S. rank (2024)#980 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births264 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2017
Total births (all-time)≈ 7,779

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201719502024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Harlee is a spelling variant of Harley, from Old English hara (hare) and leah (woodland clearing or meadow). Harley became a surname for families from such a place and then a given name, known widely through Harley-Davidson motorcycles (founded 1903) and the Batman character Harley Quinn.

Harlee appeared in U.S. girls' birth data as a variant of Harley from the 2000s onward. The -ee spelling is one of several feminine variants (Harlie, Harlea, Harleigh). It ranked #980 for girls in 2024.

Did you know? Harley Street in London is the world-famous address of private medical consultants — so the name simultaneously conjures a nature-adjacent Old English meadow and the global center of specialist medicine.
Overall data confidence 87%
Behind the Name — Harley — Old English etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

HarleyHarlieHarleighHarlea

Nicknames

HarLee

Famous Bearers

  • ★Harlee McBride (b. 1948)
    American actress best known for playing Dr. Alyssa Dyer in the acclaimed NBC crime drama Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999), one of the most honored police procedurals in television history. She was also the wife of actor and comedian Richard Belzer, who played Detective John Munch across multiple long-running network series.
  • ★Harlee Santos (fictional, 2016–2018)
    The central character of NBC's prime-time drama Shades of Blue, portrayed by global star Jennifer Lopez across three seasons. A charismatic single-mother NYPD detective navigating corruption and loyalty in Brooklyn, Harlee Santos gave the name a vivid pop-culture presence for millions of viewers and reinforced it as a strong, modern feminine choice.

If you like Harlee…

Harley— the standard spelling of the same name
Hadley— two-syllable Old English -ley place-name surname popular for girls
Oakley— two-syllable -ley place-name surname in the same category
Brinley— three-syllable -ley-ending girl name from the same wave

Explore names like Harlee

By themeenglishnatureplace-namevariant-spellingsurname-style
By meaningEarth / Nature

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Harlee mean?

Harlee means 'hare's meadow,' a spelling variant of Harley, from Old English hara (hare) and leah (clearing).

How do you pronounce Harlee?

It's said HAR-lee — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Harlee a boy or girl name?

Harlee appears primarily in girls' data; Harley is used for both sexes.

How popular is Harlee?

Harlee ranked #980 for U.S. girls in 2024.

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