Leen
GirlArabic· “tender, gentle”
- Meaning
- tender, gentle
- Origin
- Arabic
- Pronunciation
- LEEN
- Syllables
- 1
- US rank 2025
- #1,852
- US babies 2025
- 108
- Best rank
- #1,776 (2024)
- Peak year
- 2024
Meaning and origin of Leen
Leen is an Arabic name that is usually said to mean “tender, gentle”.
Leen is an Arabic name meaning "tender" or "gentle," from a root associated with softness. It is used across the Arabic-speaking world and among Muslim families abroad. It is said LEEN, rhyming with seen. The same spelling has a separate life in Dutch and Flemish, where Leen is a short form of Helena, Magdalena or Caroline, and also a male short form of Leendert, the Dutch Leonard. That gives one very short name two unrelated backgrounds. It is simple to spell, and it pairs well with a longer middle name.
Other spellings with the same sound: Lean, Lien.
Popularity over time
Leen first appears in US Social Security records in 1991. It has never ranked in the national top 1,000, which keeps it genuinely uncommon. Its best national rank was #1,776 in 2024, the same year it reached its highest count of 114 babies. In 2025, 108 babies were named Leen, and it ranked #1,852 nationally. Its use has been fairly steady over the past decade.
Its national rank moved from #7,834 in 2000, #3,389 in 2010, and #1,852 in 2025. Of the 1,765 US girls named Leen since records began, 48% were born in the 2010s, its biggest decade. The 2020s come next, with 597 babies.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Lua, Elif, Kalliope, Rhema, and Clarity.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Leen ranked highest in Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | #665 | 12 |
| Ohio | #929 | 10 |
| Illinois | #1338 | 6 |
| New York | #1377 | 10 |
| California | #1706 | 13 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Leen is usually pronounced LEEN, with one syllable. It has four letters, starts with L and ends in “-en”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Lean and Lien.
Middle names for Leen
A few middle names that flow with Leen: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Leen
Similar names
Lists that include Leen
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Leen mean?
Leen is an Arabic name that is usually said to mean “tender, gentle”.
What is the origin of the name Leen?
Leen has Arabic roots. Leen is an Arabic name meaning "tender" or "gentle," from a root associated with softness.
Is Leen a popular name?
Not especially. Leen ranked #1,852 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Leen a boy or girl name?
Leen is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Leen?
Leen is usually pronounced LEEN. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings