Livy
A feminine diminutive form of Olivia, derived from the Latin olivia meaning "olive tree".
Name Census estimates that about 490 living Americans carry the first name Livy. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Livy today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Livy births was 2024 (56 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Livy. 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
490
~ 1 in 699,499 Americans
Peak year
2024
56 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,945
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Livy: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Livy from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 261 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Livy remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Livy 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 Livy during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Livys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, Louisiana, California recorded the most babies named Livy, while California, Louisiana, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Livy
The name Livy is derived from the Latin cognomen "Livius" which was a Roman family name. It is believed to have originated from the word "livor" meaning "a bluish color" or "livid." The earliest recorded bearer of this name was Titus Livius, better known as Livy, the famous Roman historian who lived from 59 BC to 17 AD. His seminal work, "Ab Urbe Condita" (From the Founding of the City), chronicled the history of Rome from its mythical origins to his own time.
Livy was a revered figure in the Roman literary world and his works were widely read and studied throughout the ancient world. In the Middle Ages, his writings were rediscovered and became influential among Renaissance humanists who admired his elegant Latin prose. Many scholars and writers adopted the name Livy as a tribute to the great historian.
One of the most notable figures to bear the name was Tito Livio Frulovisi, an Italian humanist and scholar who lived from 1457 to 1508. He was known for his translations of ancient Greek texts and his advocacy for the study of classical literature. Another prominent bearer of the name was Livy Langdon, an American poet and educator who lived from 1824 to 1876. She was a pioneer in the field of women's education and her poetry explored themes of nature, religion, and national identity.
In the 19th century, Livy Bixby was a well-known American businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1820 to 1903. He made his fortune in the lumber industry and donated generously to educational institutions. The name Livy also gained prominence in the literary world with Livy Schmitt-Michel, a German novelist and playwright who lived from 1903 to 1976. Her works often explored themes of gender, identity, and social change.
Throughout history, the name Livy has been associated with scholars, writers, and intellectuals, reflecting its origins as a Roman cognomen. While not as common as some other names, it has been borne by notable figures across various fields, reminding us of the enduring legacy of the great Roman historian and the significance of his works in shaping Western literature and historiography.
People
Livy + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Livy 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
Livy: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Livy?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 490 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Livy 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 699,499 US residents.
Is Livy a common name?
We classify Livy as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 493 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Livy most popular?
The single biggest year for Livy was 2024, when 56 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Livy is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Livy a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Livy 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.