Liba
A feminine name of Slavic origin meaning "joy, happiness".
Name Census estimates that about 967 living Americans carry the first name Liba. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Liba today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Liba births was 2024 (58 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Liba. 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
967
~ 1 in 354,451 Americans
Peak year
2024
58 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,861
Tracked since 1956
Popularity
Liba: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Liba from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 356 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Liba remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Liba 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 Liba during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Libas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, New Jersey, Illinois recorded the most babies named Liba, while Illinois, New Jersey, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 258 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Liba
The name Liba has its origins in the Slavic languages, where it is a diminutive form of the name Liubov or Lyubov, meaning "love" or "beloved." It is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "ljuby," which means "dear" or "pleasing." The name is predominantly found in Eastern and Central European countries, particularly in Russia, Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus.
In the historical context, the name Liba has been associated with various notable figures throughout the ages. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Russian Primary Chronicle, a medieval historical text that chronicles the origins of the Kievan Rus' state in the 9th century. The text mentions a woman named Liba, who was a noblewoman and the wife of a prominent prince.
Another historical figure with the name Liba was Liba Parczewska, a Polish noble and landowner who lived in the 16th century. She was known for her role in the defense of her estate during the Polish-Muscovite War in the late 16th century.
In the realm of literature, the name Liba appears in the works of several notable authors. One example is the character of Liba Litvinova in the novel "The Possessed" by Fyodor Dostoevsky, which was published in 1872. The character is portrayed as a young woman from a wealthy family who becomes involved in revolutionary activities.
During the 20th century, the name Liba gained some prominence in the field of art and culture. Liba Sheynkman-Weinberg (1902-1988) was a Russian-American painter and printmaker who was known for her depictions of Jewish life and culture. Her works are held in the collections of several major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Another notable figure with the name Liba was Liba Luria (1930-2005), an Israeli sculptor and artist who was known for her abstract and figurative works in various mediums, including bronze, wood, and stone. Her sculptures can be found in public spaces and galleries in Israel and around the world.
While the name Liba may not be as common as some other names, it has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in the Slavic regions of Eastern and Central Europe. Its association with notable figures in various fields, from literature and art to history and politics, reflects the enduring appeal and versatility of this name.
People
Liba + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Liba 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
Liba: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Liba?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 967 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Liba 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 354,451 US residents.
Is Liba a common name?
We classify Liba as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 984 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Liba most popular?
The single biggest year for Liba was 2024, when 58 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Liba is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Liba a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Liba 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.