Leib
Leib is a given name, and a surname usually of Jewish origin. Leib often stems from לייב (leib), the Yiddish word for Hebrew "heart" לב and with the diminutives Leibel/Leibl and Leibele, or from the Yiddish word for "lion". The Standard German word for lion is Löwe; other – partly dialectal – German forms of the word are Löw, Loew, Löb, Leb and Leib.
- Yiddish
Meaning & Origin of Leib
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Leib is a given name, and a surname usually of Jewish origin. Leib often stems from לייב (leib), the Yiddish word for Hebrew "heart" לב and with the diminutives Leibel/Leibl and Leibele, or from the Yiddish word for "lion". The Standard German word for lion is Löwe; other – partly dialectal – German forms of the word are Löw, Loew, Löb, Leb and Leib.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Yiddish
The Story of Leib
The earliest SSA record of Leib as a baby boy name dates back to 1958, when 5 babies received it. 2023 was its biggest year on record, with 25 newborns named Leib — #4,217 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 33% of all recorded Leibs. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,380 among baby boy names with 24 births, rising sharply (+64% over the past five years). In total, more than 467 Leibs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Leib
Phonetically similar names — useful when Leib is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Liebe
- Leeb
- Lieb
- Leab
- Lab
- Leap
- Lobe
- Lube
- Lob
- Lib
- Leep
- Lub
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Leib
What does the name Leib mean?
What is the origin of the name Leib?
How popular is Leib in 2026?
When was Leib most popular?
In which U.S. states is Leib most popular?
Is Leib a unisex name?
What names go well with Leib?
About the name Leib
Leib is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1958 and has accumulated 467 births in the dataset. Leib's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #3,289. Use the chart and map above to compare Leib's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.