The baby name Lief is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /liːf/ (LEEF) or /leɪf/ (LAYF).
The baby name Lief is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /liːf/ (LEEF) or /leɪf/ (LAYF).
Lief is in Origin.
Lief is most commonly a modern Anglicized spelling of Scandinavian Leif, from Old Norse Leifr, meaning “heir, descendant.” The name appears throughout medieval Scandinavia and endures in Nordic languages, buoyed by the fame of the explorer Leif Erikson. Its modern resurgence in English-speaking countries reflects Scandinavian heritage and a broader interest in Viking-era names; pronunciations vary, often rhyming with “safe” in Nordic usage and “leaf” in North America.
Because it matches an English word, Lief also carries an older English layer: lief, from Old English lēof “dear, beloved,” once common in literature. Parents may therefore read the name either as a Nordic heir-name or an English term of endearment. Principal variants include Leif (standard), Leifr (Old Norse), Leifur (Icelandic), Leiv (Norwegian), and Leivur (Faroese); occasional English spellings and near-homophones include Leaf.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP | 0 | #77 | 1 | 4,057 | |
| TW | Boys | 0 | #255 | 2 | 7,111 |
| PH | Boys | 0 | #408 | 1 | 11,440 |
| IQ | Girls | 0 | #524 | 2 | 11,303 |
| LY | 0 | #559 | 1 | 12,703 | |
| PS | Boys | 0 | #561 | 1 | 10,655 |
| IQ | Boys | 0 | #696 | 2 | 13,071 |
| United States | Boys | 2023 | #888 | 11 | 7,053 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #918 | 1 | 17,948 |
| EG | Boys | 0 | #924 | 2 | 15,035 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #924 | 3 | 14,506 |
| NL | Girls | 0 | #930 | 26 | 5,933 |
| NG | Boys | 0 | #1,001 | 1 | 16,906 |
| PE | Girls | 0 | #1,010 | 1 | 14,861 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,014 | 1 | 25,931 |
| MX | Boys | 0 | #1,033 | 1 | 16,355 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,142 | 2 | 22,615 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,168 | 11 | 25,619 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,181 | 2 | 25,439 |
| MA | 0 | #1,199 | 1 | 20,986 | |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #1,231 | 6 | 25,928 |
| TR | 0 | #1,254 | 1 | 19,440 | |
| MX | Girls | 0 | #1,267 | 1 | 17,781 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,691 | 1 | 28,008 |
Lief is popular in 19 countries — most recent births per country:
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