Leif is a distinctive choice, ranked #1007 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Leif in their class.
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UK Rank 2025
#1007
US Rank #917
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About the Name Leif
2024 marks Leif's peak year in UK records so far, sitting at UK #814. The name has climbed 734 places in the last five years — a significant surge by any measure. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Leif is uncommon in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Leif in their class.
In the US it sits at #925 — notably more popular in the UK than across the Atlantic.
⭐ Famous People Named Leif
Leif Lahn Jensen — Leif Lahn Jensen is a Danish politician who is a member of the Folketing for the Social Democrats.
Leif Möller — Leif Åke Möller is a retired Swedish Olympic sailor in the Star class.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Leif
Unlikely. With around 30 UK babies named Leif per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Leif in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Leif is rising: up 541 places since 2020, to #1,007 in 2025. Its best recorded position was #814 in 2024.
Leif is more popular in the UK (#814) than in the US (#925). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Leif include: Leif Lahn Jensen, Leif Möller and Leif Johansson (businessman). Short summaries for each appear below.
Leif ranks #925 in the US top 1,000 (2024). It's recognised in America but considerably more popular in the UK.
30
UK babies named Leif (2025)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↑ 541 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Leif
Almost certainly the only Leif in the class
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UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Leif
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Leif Erikson, also known as Leif the Lucky, was a Norse explorer who is thought to have been the first European to set foot on continental America, approximately half a millennium before Christopher Columbus.