Find out how popular the first name Lafe has been for the last 47 years (from 1974 to 2020) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Lafe by gender

Based on the last 47 years of data, Lafe is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2020, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Lafe.

The history of the first name Lafe

The name Lafe is believed to have originated from the Old English word "leafa," meaning "beloved" or "dear one." It was a popular name among the Anglo-Saxons during the 6th to 11th centuries AD, particularly in the regions of present-day England and parts of northern Europe.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lafe can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England compiled in 1086 AD by order of William the Conqueror. In this text, there are several entries referring to individuals with the name Lafe or variations such as Laf and Lafing.

Lafe was also a name used in ancient Norse mythology. The Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse anonymous poems preserved in the Codex Regius manuscript from the 13th century, mentions a character named Lafe who was one of the dwarves responsible for creating the world.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Lafe. One of the earliest was Lafe of Peterborough (c. 1080 – c. 1153), an English Benedictine monk and chronicler who wrote the Peterborough Chronicle, an important source of information about the Anglo-Saxon period.

In the 16th century, Lafe Houghton (1506 – 1538) was an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs during the reign of King Henry VIII. Another notable Lafe was Lafe Monckton (1570 – 1641), an English landowner and Member of Parliament during the early Stuart period.

In more recent times, Lafe Pence (1857 – 1923) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Colorado in the early 20th century. Lafe Lambert (1889 – 1957) was an American baseball player who played for several Major League Baseball teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Giants, between 1914 and 1927.

While the name Lafe is not as common today as it once was, it has a rich historical background and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Lafe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Lafe, please contact us.

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