Leif is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Leif means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Leif across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Leif has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Leif is a boy name of Norse origin meaning “heir, descendant”. An Old Norse name borne by the explorer Leif Erikson.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 10,002 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 339 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 6 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Leif per year, United States (1912 to 2025). United States peaked in 2022 (290/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2024 (40/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2019 (3/yr).
Leif is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2022, when it ranked #1,751 nationally (given to 321 babies that year).
Levi · Liv · Leafy · Lev · Levie · Leva · Levy · Leavie
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