Levant
A masculine name of French origin meaning "the rising sun or east".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Levant. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Levant today is around 66 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Levant births was 1954 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Levant. 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
- • The typical person named Levant is about 66 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Levants were born before 1970.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Levant. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1954
5 babies that year
Average age
66
years old
1954 SSA rank
#4,139
Tracked since 1954
Popularity
Levant: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Levant 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 Levant during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Levant
The name Levant has its origins in the French word "levant," which means "rising" or "east." This term was originally used to refer to the eastern Mediterranean region, including modern-day countries like Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt.
The Levant was a significant area in ancient times, known for its cultural and economic importance. The name may have been derived from the Latin word "levare," meaning "to raise" or "to lift," referring to the rising sun in the east.
While the name Levant itself is not found in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been used as a geographical term to describe the eastern Mediterranean region since at least the 16th century. The earliest recorded use of the name Levant in this context can be traced back to French traveler and writer Pierre Belon in 1553.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the first name Levant, although it is relatively uncommon. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Levant Harris (1779-1855), an American merchant and businessman who lived in the early 19th century.
Another notable figure was Levant M. Richardson (1822-1908), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts in the late 19th century.
In the field of literature, Levant Hart (1892-1967) was an American screenwriter and producer who worked in Hollywood during the early to mid-20th century.
More recently, Levant Tchalidze (1923-2009) was a Georgian writer and translator who made significant contributions to the literary scene in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Georgia.
Lastly, Levant Hart (born 1984) is a contemporary American artist and sculptor known for his large-scale installations and multimedia works.
While the name Levant is relatively uncommon, its connection to the rich cultural and historical heritage of the eastern Mediterranean region gives it a unique and fascinating background.
People
Levant + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Levant 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
Levant: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Levant?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Levant 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Levant a common name?
We classify Levant as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% 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 Levant most popular?
The single biggest year for Levant was 1954, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Levant is about 66 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 Levant in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Levant a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Levant 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 Levant still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Levant 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 Levant 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 Levant?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.