Given name & surname · also Old Norse
Leif
“a beloved heir”
Leif is used as a given name and a surname. One Scandinavian interpretation is “a beloved heir.”
Original Old NorseLeifr
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Scandinavian interpretation is “a beloved heir.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Old Norse.
How it developed
In Norwegian usage, Leif developed from the Old Norse form Leifr.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Leif through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 10,002
- 9,997 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 290 babies
- 2025
- 257
- #917 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +19%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 257 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 917 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 19.1% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (22). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 7,704 as a first name in 2020; 382 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Leif’s family of names
In German usage, Leif has a diminutive in LEIFI. In Norwegian usage, Leif developed from the Old Norse form Leifr. Leif has a related form in Lief.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Leif has relatives in 7 languages. Lines run from its Old Norse roots to each of them.
Old Norsewhere Leif comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Lifevariant
- Leivvariant · Norwegian Nynorsk, Norwegian
- Laifvariant
- Leafvariant
- Liefvariant
- Leofvariant
- Lyfvariant
- Laefvariant
Show 4 moreShow fewer
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Leif
- Leif Eriksonnorse explorer (c. 970 – c. 1020)972–1020
- Leif SegerstamFinnish conductor and composer (1944–2024)
- Leif Ove AndsnesNorwegian pianist (born 1970)
- Leif EricksonAmerican actor (1911-1986)
- Leif MortensenDanish road bicycle racer, born 1946
- Leif G. W. PerssonSwedish criminologist and writerborn 1945
- Leif HosteBelgian road bicycle racerborn 1977
- Leif GarrettAmerican actor and singerborn 1961
- Leif EngqvistSwedish footballerborn 1962
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Leif, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Larson
“the son of Lawrence”
92% boys · 8% girls
Odin
Odin is a masculine given name from Old Norse. It is used in Norwegian Nynorsk.
>99% boys
Bjorn
“resembling a bear”
>99% boys
Osman
“protected by God”
>99% boys
Boden
“one who brings news; a herald” · “one who provides shelter or is sheltered”
>99% boys
Bo
“a precious daughter” · “a lively woman”
95% boys · 5% girls
Lofton
“upper chamber, attic”
93% boys · 7% girls
Kyler
“an archer”
94% boys · 6% girls