Liv
Liv was the 896th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 296 babies. Its best year was 2020, when it ranked 666th; the most babies were born in 2017 (437). Over the last ten years it has moved down 176 places. More babies were named Liv in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning protection (Norse); associated with 'life' · Old Norse, Norwegian
Say it LIV /lɪv/
- Rank in 2025
- #896 girls, down 230 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 296girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2017437 babies
- Total since 1880
- 6,901babies recorded
What does the name Liv mean?
Liv is a Scandinavian girls' name. Wiktionary derives it from Old Norse Hlíf, from hlíf, protection or shield, and notes that it is now associated with the Scandinavian word liv, life. In Norse myth Líf is the woman who survives Ragnarök. In English Liv is also a short form of Olivia or Olive. In the US Liv has been used since 1956.
hlíf (Old Norse, “protection, shield”)liv (Norwegian, “life (later association)”)
How sure is this? Probable. The 'life' meaning is a later association; the older source is 'protection'.
Related names: Olivia, Olive, Livia.
See also: Scandinavian names, names that mean protector.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Liv' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Liv' (Norwegian Nynorsk section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Liv popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #896 | 296 |
| 2020 | #666 | 432 |
| 2010 | #1,238 | 195 |
| 2000 | #3,627 | 36 |
| 1990 | #12,262 | 6 |
| 1980 | #5,747 | 12 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Liv, counting every spelling?
Liv is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #871 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #896 for Liv on its own. Together these spellings went to 296 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liv | 296 | #896 | 1,835 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Liv?
296 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Liv (0.08 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Liv born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 28 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Liv.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Liv?
About 6,800 people born in the US named Liv are alive today, with a median age of 9; half are between 5 and 14. That makes Liv a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Liv by state
How common Liv was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Utah (2.7×), Minnesota (2.6×), Massachusetts (2.0×), Colorado (1.9×), Florida (1.8×). In 21 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Liv: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Liv, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Liv · Sibling names for Liv
Liv is also a nickname for Olivia, Olive, Alivia and Livia.
Questions about the name Liv
What does Liv mean?
Liv means “protection (Norse); associated with 'life'” (Old Norse, Norwegian origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Liv?
Liv was the 896th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 296 babies. Its best year was 2020, when it ranked 666th; the most babies were born in 2017 (437). Over the last ten years it has moved down 176 places. More babies were named Liv in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Liv a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Liv in the US.
Where is Liv most popular?
In 2021–2025, Liv was most common in Hawaii (0.87 per 1,000 girls), followed by Utah and Minnesota.