Leif
Leif is a male given name of Scandinavian origin. It is derived from the Old Norse name Leifr, meaning "heir", "descendant".
Meaning & Origin of Leif
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Leif is a male given name of Scandinavian origin. It is derived from the Old Norse name Leifr, meaning "heir", "descendant".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Leif
Leif first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1912, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 290 Leifs were born — ranking #839 that year. As of 2026, Leif ranks #876 for baby boys with 272 births, rising sharply (+24% over the past five years). In total, more than 10K Leifs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Leif
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Leif Ove Andsnes (born 1970), Norwegian pianist and exponent of Edvard Grieg
- Leif Arrhenius (born 1986), American-Swedish athlete
- Leif Axmyr (1938–2018), Swedish murderer
- Leif Bergdahl (born 1941), Swedish physician and politician
- Leif Blomberg (1941–1998), Swedish trade unionist and politician
- Leif Bodin (born 1996), German politician
- Leif Davidsen (born 1950), Danish crime fiction writer
- Leif Davis (born 1999), English footballer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Leif
Phonetically similar names — useful when Leif is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Leif
What does the name Leif mean?
How popular is Leif in 2026?
When was Leif most popular?
In which U.S. states is Leif most popular?
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About the name Leif
Leif is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 10K births in the dataset. Leif's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #638. Use the chart and map above to compare Leif's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- 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.