Leve
A French name meaning "raised", "elevated", or "lifted up".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Leve. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Leve today is around 87 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leve births was 1934 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leve. 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 Leve is about 87 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Leves were born before 1949.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Leve. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1934
5 babies that year
Average age
87
years old
1934 SSA rank
#3,981
Tracked since 1934
Popularity
Leve: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Leve 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 Leve during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Leve
The given name Leve has its origins in the Old Norse language, where it was derived from the word "leifa," meaning "to leave" or "to remain." This name was particularly prevalent in Scandinavia, especially in regions like Norway and Sweden, during the Viking Age, which spanned from the late 8th century to the late 11th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leve can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of narratives that document the lives and adventures of the Norse people during the Viking era. Specifically, the name appears in the Saga of Grettir the Strong, which recounts the exploits of the legendary Icelandic outlaw Grettir Ásmundarson (c. 1010 - c. 1031).
In the realm of historical figures, Leve Bredal (1672-1739) was a Norwegian merchant and shipowner who played a significant role in the development of Bergen's maritime trade in the early 18th century. Another notable individual was Leve Müller (1892-1959), a German artist and sculptor known for his avant-garde works and association with the Bauhaus movement.
Moving forward in time, Leve Klau (1909-1988) was a Danish architect who made notable contributions to the modernist architectural style in Denmark during the mid-20th century. His iconic works include the Radiohuset (Radio House) in Copenhagen, which was completed in 1945.
In the field of literature, Leve Petersson (1904-1986) was a Swedish author and playwright who gained recognition for his works that explored themes of rural life and social commentary. His novel "Jordproletärerna" (The Land Proletarians), published in 1941, is considered one of the most significant works of Swedish working-class literature.
Lastly, Leve Stockmann (1871-1949) was a Finnish businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Stockmann department store chain, which has become a prominent retail institution in Finland and the Baltic region. The first Stockmann store opened in Helsinki in 1862, and the company continues to operate to this day, highlighting the enduring legacy of its founder's name.
People
Leve + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leve 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
Leve: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leve?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leve 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Leve a common name?
We classify Leve as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% 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 Leve most popular?
The single biggest year for Leve was 1934, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leve is about 87 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 Leve in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Leve a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leve 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 Leve still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Leve 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 Leve 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 are called Leve?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.