Lee vs Levi's:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Levi's had more branded searches than Lee among cargo shorts brands worldwide. Levi's had about 823,000 branded searches, while Lee had 110,000. Levi's made up 64.5% of all cargo shorts brand searches we track, and Lee accounted for 8.6%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about cargo shorts brands, Lee and Levi's each appeared in two of the five answers. Lee and Levi's were each mentioned first in two of the four answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Levi's, about 7 searches for every 1 for Lee
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 2 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 2 of 4 answers.
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Top cargo shorts brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Lee was mentioned in two out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in both Google AI Overviews. Levi's was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Lee and Levi's were each listed first in two of the four answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Wrangler4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Columbia4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Carhartt3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Levi's2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Lee2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Dickies2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about cargo shorts brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which cargo shorts brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best cargo shorts brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best cargo shorts brand for everyday wear?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“mens cargo shorts”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“womens cargo shorts”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Lee or Levi's more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Lee and Levi's by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six cargo shorts brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Levi's, Lee. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Levi's | Wrangler | Columbia | Lee | Carhartt | Dickies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 64.4% | 15.9% | 10.6% | 8.7% | 0.19% | 0.19% |
| Nov 2025 | 63% | 12.7% | 15.5% | 8.5% | 0.12% | 0.08% |
| Dec 2025 | 61.3% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 8.3% | 0.15% | 0.18% |
| Jan 2026 | 66.3% | 13.3% | 10.9% | 8.9% | 0.24% | 0.29% |
| Feb 2026 | 66.2% | 13.3% | 10.9% | 8.8% | 0.23% | 0.65% |
| Mar 2026 | 68.2% | 13.7% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 0.68% | 0.68% |
| Apr 2026 | 65.6% | 13.2% | 8.8% | 10.8% | 0.53% | 1.2% |
| May 2026 | 64.1% | 15.7% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 0.77% | 0.42% |
| Jun 2026 | 67% | 13.4% | 9% | 9% | 1.2% | 0.44% |
| Jul 2026 | 68.2% | 13.7% | 9.1% | 7.5% | 0.82% | 0.67% |
| Aug 2026 | 63.1% | 15.4% | 10.4% | 8.4% | 0.62% | 2.1% |
| Sep 2026 | 64.5% | 15.8% | 10.6% | 8.6% | 0.28% | 0.23% |
How has the Lee and Levi's comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Levi's was ahead of Lee in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Lee’s share of searches among cargo shorts brands worldwide moved from 8.7% to 8.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 135K to 110K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Levi's’ share of searches among cargo shorts brands worldwide moved from 64.4% to 64.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1M to 823K.
How did search popularity change for cargo shorts brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Levi's gained share of searches among cargo shorts brands worldwide, from 63.1% to 64.5%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Lee worldwide fell 18.5% over 12 measured months, from 135K to 110K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Lee’s and Levi's’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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