Leevan
A masculine name of Indian origin meaning "sacred"
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Leevan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Leevan today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leevan births was 1981 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leevan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Leevan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1981
5 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
1981 SSA rank
#6,866
Tracked since 1981
Popularity
Leevan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Leevan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Leevan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Leevan
The name Leevan has its origins rooted in the ancient Tamil language, which traces its history back to the southern regions of the Indian subcontinent. This name is believed to have emerged during the early centuries of the common era, when Tamil culture and literature flourished across parts of modern-day India and Sri Lanka.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Leevan can be found in the ancient Tamil literary work, the Sangam literature, which dates back to the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. These classical Tamil texts often incorporated names and references from the local culture and traditions of that era.
Linguistically, the name Leevan is derived from the Tamil word "leevan," which means "the sun" or "the giver of life." This connection to the celestial body underscores the reverence and significance attached to the sun in ancient Tamil beliefs and mythology.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Leevan. One such figure was Leevan Athi, a prominent Tamil scholar and poet who lived in the 6th century CE. His works played a significant role in preserving and promoting Tamil literature and culture during his lifetime.
Another remarkable individual with the name Leevan was Leevan Chola, a powerful ruler of the Chola dynasty who reigned in the 11th century CE. He was known for his military conquests and for expanding the influence of the Chola Empire across parts of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
In the realm of religion, Leevan Arunachalam was a revered Hindu saint and mystic who lived in the 16th century CE. His teachings and spiritual guidance attracted followers from across the Tamil regions, and he is remembered for his contributions to the Bhakti movement.
Moving forward in time, Leevan Narayanaswamy was a prominent Tamil scholar and linguist who lived in the 18th century CE. His works on Tamil grammar and lexicography helped preserve and promote the language during a period when it faced challenges from colonial influences.
Lastly, Leevan Ramachandran was a celebrated Tamil playwright and writer who lived in the 20th century CE. His plays and literary works explored themes of social justice, cultural identity, and the human experience, earning him widespread acclaim and recognition within the Tamil literary circles.
People
Leevan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leevan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Leevan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leevan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leevan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Leevan a common name?
We classify Leevan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leevan most popular?
The single biggest year for Leevan was 1981, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leevan is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Leevan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Leevan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leevan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Leevan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Leevan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Leevan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Leevan as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Leevan, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.