Leiv
A Scandinavian masculine name derived from Old Norse "leifr", meaning "descendant" or "heir".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Leiv. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Leiv today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leiv births was 2020 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leiv. 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 Leiv. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2020
5 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#13,263
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Leiv: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Leiv 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 Leiv during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Leiv
The name Leiv is of Old Norse origin, deriving from the ancient language spoken by the Scandinavian peoples during the Viking Age, from around the 8th to the 11th centuries AD. It is believed to be a contracted form of the Old Norse name Leifr, which itself comes from the Old Norse word leif, meaning "descendant" or "heir."
The earliest known record of the name Leiv dates back to the 10th century, when it was mentioned in the Icelandic sagas, a collection of ancient stories and historical accounts from medieval Iceland. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Leiv Eiriksson, an Icelandic explorer who is believed to have been the first European to set foot in North America, reaching the coastline of present-day Newfoundland around the year 1000 AD.
Another notable figure in history who bore the name Leiv was Leiv Järta, a Swedish nobleman and military commander who lived in the 13th century. He played a significant role in the conflicts between Sweden and Denmark during that period, and is mentioned in various chronicles and historical records from the time.
In the 14th century, a Norwegian chieftain named Leiv Tormodsson is recorded as having participated in the Battle of Vågen in 1368, a pivotal naval battle between Norwegian and Danish forces. His exploits are recounted in the Icelandic Annals, a collection of historical records from medieval Iceland.
Moving forward, in the 16th century, a Danish astronomer and mathematician named Leiv Bilde Brockenhuus made significant contributions to the field of astronomy, publishing works on celestial observations and calculations. He lived from 1535 to 1601.
Finally, in more recent history, there was a Norwegian poet and playwright named Leiv Nørve, who lived from 1908 to 1988. He is considered one of the most influential figures in modern Norwegian literature, and his works explored themes of rural life, nature, and the human condition.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Leiv throughout history, showcasing its deep roots in Scandinavian culture and its enduring presence across various fields and eras.
People
Leiv + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leiv 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
Leiv: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leiv?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leiv 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 Leiv a common name?
We classify Leiv 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 Leiv most popular?
The single biggest year for Leiv was 2020, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leiv is about 6 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 Leiv in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Leiv a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leiv 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 Leiv still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Leiv 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 Leiv 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 the name Leiv?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.