Lei

/L-EY/

Unisex Buddhist Chinese origin ChineseTaiwanese

Flower bud, the unopened blossom — from Chinese 蕾 (lěi, "bud"). Lei names a child as the family's tender beginning, the flower in the moment before it opens. A unisex name in modern Chinese practice, used for both daughters and sons, carrying the classical Chinese aesthetic of potential about to bloom.

See Lei scored for your family

Meaning & origin

Lei is a unisex's name of Chinese origin, traditionally used in Buddhist families. The name means "Flower bud, the unopened blossom — from Chinese 蕾 (lěi, "bud"). Lei names a child as the family's tender beginning, the flower in the moment before it opens. A unisex name in modern Chinese practice, used for both daughters and sons, carrying the classical Chinese aesthetic of potential about to bloom." and belongs to the Nature cluster — names drawn from the natural world — earth, water, sky.

Common among Chinese, Taiwanese, Singaporean, Malaysian-Chinese, American-Chinese families, Lei carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.

Numerology of Lei

Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Lei resonates in either tradition.

Pythagorean
8
material mastery and executive power
Chaldean
9
compassion and humanitarian service

How Lei sounds

NameRoot scores the phonetic fit of every name against the sound of your last name. The pronunciation of Lei breaks down into 2 phonemes: /L-EY/. In the app, you'll see how those sounds flow with your family name across rhythm, stress, and consonant clusters.

The six signals, applied to Lei

NameRoot scores every name across six independent dimensions. Here's how Lei maps to each — install the app to see the full compatibility score for your specific family.

01 — Birth Star
Nakshatra match
Enter your baby's birth date in the app and we'll compute the nakshatra compatibility score.
02 — Numerology
Destiny alignment
Pythagorean and Chaldean life-path calculations (destiny 8) matched against your family's own numerology profile.
03 — Phonetics
Last-name fit
Rhythm, stress, and consonant clusters measured with IPA to see how Lei flows with your family name.
04 — Meaning
Nature
Lei belongs to the Nature cluster — names drawn from the natural world — earth, water, sky.
05 — Cultural & Tradition
Buddhist
As a Buddhist name, Lei carries religious and cultural weight scored against your family's heritage — plus grandparent-name matches, saint's-day alignment, and generational naming patterns scored against your family tree.
06 — Uniqueness
Popularity balance
How common Lei is today versus historically — finding the sweet spot between familiar and forgotten.

Names similar to Lei

If Lei resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.

From the same tradition

Other Buddhist unisex names, common in Chinese families

Arya
Noble, honourable, one of high birth and higher conduct — Arya is among the oldest words in the Sanskrit vocabulary, used in the Vedas to denote those who live by dharma. It transcends gender entirely, bestowing upon any child the aspiration toward moral excellence, dignified speech, and a life guided by principle rather than circumstance
Zihan
Child of depth, cultured offspring — combining zi (child, seed) with han (contain, encompass, cultured).
Shanti
Peace, the deep stillness that settles when all conflict has dissolved — Shanti is the word chanted three times at the close of every Upanishadic reading, each repetition calming a different source of suffering
Pema
Lotus, the Tibetan word for the flower that grows from mud into light — Pema is the Tibetan rendering of the Sanskrit Padma, the lotus that is Buddhism's most central symbol

Sharing the same meaning

Other Buddhist unisex names from the Nature cluster

Haru
Spring, the season of new beginnings — Haru names a child after the warm season of cherry blossoms, often given to babies born in March-April. A modern Japanese unisex favourite with seasonal warmth.
Lin
Forest, woodland, from Chinese 林 (lin), a character formed by doubling the sign for tree. A foundational Chinese name borne by all genders and also widespread as a Chinese family name, it evokes the depth, shelter, and quiet vitality of a forest of growing trees.
Li
Plum tree — Li (李) is the Chinese character for the plum, counted among the "Three Friends of Winter" alongside pine and bamboo in classical aesthetic philosophy. As a given name it casts a child as the tree that blossoms first in late winter, before any other, symbolising endurance, integrity, and beauty held fast against the frost.

Names that sound similar

Buddhist unisex names that open with the same syllables as Lei

Lhakpa
Wednesday-born — a Tibetan-Buddhist day-name marking the day of birth as identity, one of the seven names drawn from the Tibetan week. Borne by a Nepali Sherpa woman who has summited Everest more times than any other woman, working humble jobs between expeditions to support her family. A grounded Himalayan name of quiet endurance.

Common questions about Lei

What does the name Lei mean?

Lei means "Flower bud, the unopened blossom — from Chinese 蕾 (lěi, "bud"). Lei names a child as the family's tender beginning, the flower in the moment before it opens. A unisex name in modern Chinese practice, used for both daughters and sons, carrying the classical Chinese aesthetic of potential about to bloom.." It is a unisex name of Chinese origin, traditionally used in Buddhist families.

Is Lei a boy or girl name?

Lei is a unisex name, used for any gender.

What is the origin of the name Lei?

Lei is of Chinese origin, used in Buddhist tradition, commonly among Chinese, Taiwanese, Singaporean families.

What is the numerology of Lei?

Lei has a Pythagorean destiny number of 8 — material mastery and executive power.

See how Lei scores for your family

NameRoot is the only baby-name app that scores every name across 6 signals against your specific family context. Download free — Lei is waiting.

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