Leif
BoyNorse · German: /laɪ̯f/, rhyming with life. Swedish: /ˈlɛjf/, starting with the vowel in English let and gliding toward y. Both are one syllable.
Leif is a compact Scandinavian boys’ name with Old Norse roots and a meaning tied to inheritance and descendants.
Origin
Norse
Pronunciation
German: /laɪ̯f/, rhyming with life. Swedish: /ˈlɛjf/, starting with the vowel in English let and gliding toward y. Both are one syllable.
‘Heir’ or ‘descendant’.
Leif is a masculine Scandinavian name rooted in Old Norse Leifr. That older form arose as a shortening of compound names ending in -leifr, with the meaning ‘heir’ or ‘descendant’. Leif is now a name in its own right, used in Sweden, Norway and Denmark; Leiv is a related Norwegian spelling. Its brevity is audible as well as visible. German /laɪ̯f/ rhymes with the English word life, while Swedish /ˈlɛjf/ begins with a more e-like vowel. Both fit into one syllable, framed by a light l and an airy final f. The meaning offers a quiet connection to family continuity. It can bring to mind stories shared with a child, traditions passed on, or the link between generations. For parents who want that connection expressed without reusing a relative’s own name, Leif offers an understated way to do so.
Etymology: Leif continues Old Norse Leifr, a short form of compound names ending in -leifr. This name element carries the sense ‘heir’ or ‘descendant’.
Spelling table
Code
.-.. . .. ..-.
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Braille
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Name popularity
Latest year: 2025
Boys
Rank917
Source
SSA records cover Social Security card applications, not every US birth. Names with fewer than 5 occurrences are omitted; gaps do not mean zero. Spellings are kept separate, except that SSA removes spaces and hyphens. Equal counts are ranked alphabetically. Ranks are calculated separately for boys and girls.
Origin
Norse
Origin
Scandinavian