Nee is a French-origin term meaning “born.” In English usage, it is placed after a married woman’s current name to indicate her maiden name (the name she was born with). For example: Jane Doe, née Smith, means Jane Doe was born as Jane Smith and later changed her surname. The masculine form né is used similarly for men, though it is far less common in everyday usage. This convention helps track a person’s early family name and lineage in records such as genealogies and biographical notes.