Lev
A transliteration of the Russian or Ukrainian male given name Лев (Lev).
Every Lev since 1971 — 3,083 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lev
Lev is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,001 in 2025 with 227 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1971, 3,083 American babies have been named Lev. Its peak came in 2025, when 236 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lev stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lev year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #10,555 | 227 | #1,001 |
| 2024 | 9 | #10,741 | 215 | #1,036 |
| 2023 | 7 | #12,894 | 197 | #1,093 |
| 2022 | 8 | #11,800 | 219 | #1,018 |
| 2021 | 7 | #12,946 | 203 | #1,055 |
| 2020 | 11 | #9,279 | 178 | #1,109 |
| 2019 | 8 | #11,968 | 208 | #1,005 |
| 2018 | 6 | #14,890 | 184 | #1,078 |
| 2017 | 6 | #15,161 | 140 | #1,298 |
| 2016 | — | — | 156 | #1,214 |
| 2015 | — | — | 138 | #1,295 |
| 2014 | 7 | #13,948 | 110 | #1,481 |
| 2013 | — | — | 98 | #1,583 |
| 2012 | — | — | 76 | #1,903 |
| 2011 | — | — | 75 | #1,882 |
| 2010 | 6 | #16,129 | 69 | #1,993 |
| 2009 | — | — | 58 | #2,275 |
| 2008 | — | — | 47 | #2,660 |
| 2007 | — | — | 42 | #2,849 |
| 2006 | — | — | 42 | #2,774 |
| 2005 | — | — | 23 | #4,003 |
| 2004 | — | — | 21 | #4,203 |
| 2003 | — | — | 35 | #2,824 |
| 2002 | — | — | 13 | #5,602 |
| 2001 | — | — | 11 | #6,273 |
| 2000 | — | — | 25 | #3,385 |
| 1995 | — | — | 10 | #5,752 |
| 1990 | — | — | 7 | #6,878 |
| 1985 | — | — | 8 | #4,978 |
| 1980 | — | — | 5 | #6,853 |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Lev
- Lev Vygotsky Psychologist · 1896–1934
- Lev Yashin Soccer player · 1929–1990
- Lev Kamenev Politician · 1883–1936
- Lev Landau Physicist · 1908–1968
- Lev Shestov Philosopher · 1866–1938
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lev mean?
A transliteration of the Russian or Ukrainian male given name Лев (Lev).
How popular is the name Lev in 2025?
Lev ranked #1,001 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 227 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lev?
3,083 babies have been named Lev in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lev most popular?
Lev peaked in 2025, when 236 newborns received the name.
Is Lev a boy or girl name?
Lev is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 97% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lev rising or falling?
Lev is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lev?
Well-known people named Lev include Lev Vygotsky (psychologist), Lev Yashin (soccer player), Lev Kamenev (politician).