Liat
A feminine Hebrew name meaning "you have toiled" or "lioness".
Name Census estimates that about 539 living Americans carry the first name Liat. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Liat today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Liat births was 2015 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Liat. 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.
People living today
539
~ 1 in 635,908 Americans
Peak year
2015
21 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,701
Tracked since 1967
Popularity
Liat: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Liat from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 154 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Liat remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Liat 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 Liat during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Liats live
Origin
Meaning and history of Liat
The name Liat originates from the Hebrew language and culture. It is a feminine given name that has been in use since ancient times. The name Liat is derived from the Hebrew word "lavi," which means "lioness."
In the ancient Hebrew scriptures, the lioness was often used as a symbol of strength, courage, and majesty. This association with the lioness likely contributed to the popularity of the name Liat among Hebrew families seeking to imbue their daughters with these admirable qualities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Liat can be found in the Book of Judges, a part of the Hebrew Bible. In this text, Liat is mentioned as the name of one of the daughters of Lamech, a descendant of Cain.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Liat. One of the most famous was Liat Ben-Hur (1936-2021), an Israeli novelist and playwright. Her works explored themes of identity, family, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Another prominent figure named Liat was Liat Sayer (1928-2018), an Israeli politician and activist. She served as a member of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) from 1973 to 1977 and was a vocal advocate for women's rights and social justice.
In the field of music, Liat Cohen (born 1984) is a celebrated Israeli singer and songwriter. Her unique blend of traditional Middle Eastern sounds and contemporary pop has earned her critical acclaim and a devoted following.
The name Liat has also found its way into the annals of sports history. Liat Akta (born 1971) is a former Israeli professional tennis player who achieved a career-high ranking of No. 15 in the world in 1993.
Finally, Liat Shorer-Zeltser (born 1975) is an Israeli-American mathematician and professor at the University of Virginia. Her research contributions in the field of combinatorics have garnered her numerous honors and awards.
While the name Liat has its roots in ancient Hebrew culture, it has transcended its origins and become a beloved name across various communities and societies. Its enduring appeal lies in its connection to strength, courage, and majesty – qualities that have resonated with parents throughout the ages.
People
Liat + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Liat 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
Liat: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Liat?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 539 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Liat 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 635,908 US residents.
Is Liat a common name?
We classify Liat as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 554 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Liat most popular?
The single biggest year for Liat was 2015, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Liat is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Liat a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Liat in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.