boy's name
Levi
LEE-vy
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 244,876
the United States
#12
2025 births
Levi is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "joined" or "attached." In Genesis he is the third son of Jacob and Leah, and his descendants formed the Levites, the tribe set apart for religious duties in ancient Israel.
- Levi is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2022, when 9,936 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 341 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Levi over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 927 |
| 1890s | 685 |
| 1900s | 664 |
| 1910s | 1,773 |
| 1920s | 2,402 |
| 1930s | 1,842 |
| 1940s | 1,774 |
| 1950s | 1,997 |
| 1960s | 1,501 |
| 1970s | 3,840 |
| 1980s | 12,775 |
| 1990s | 20,519 |
| 2000s | 29,668 |
| 2010s | 78,521 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 57,552 |
What Levi means
Levi means joined or attached, from a Hebrew root expressing connection. Genesis explains the name as Leah's hope that her husband would become attached to her after the birth of a third son, making it one of several biblical names given an in-text explanation.
Where Levi comes from
Levi comes from the Hebrew Lewi, from a root meaning to join or attach. Genesis 29:34 supplies the reasoning: Leah names her third son Levi in the hope that Jacob will now be joined to her. The name carries particular weight in Jewish tradition because the tribe descended from him, the Levites, was assigned to temple service rather than given territory of its own, and the surnames Levi, Levine, and Halevi still mark that descent. The name entered English use after the Reformation along with other Old Testament names, and has been given steadily since.
How popular is Levi?
In 2025, Levi was given to 9,713 babies in the United States, ranking #12 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Levi is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Levi is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Lévi | Lévi is Levi written with an acute accent, used in France, where it ranks #421. | 870 |
Names that peaked alongside Levi
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Levi also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Levi over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Levi
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Levi in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Levi
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Levi — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Levi
What does the name Levi mean?
Levi means "joined" or "attached," from the Hebrew Lewi.
Who were the Levites?
The Levites were the tribe descended from Levi, set apart for religious duties rather than given territory of their own.
Does the Bible explain Levi's name?
Genesis 29:34 presents it as Leah's hope that Jacob would become joined to her.
How popular is the name Levi?
In 2025, Levi was given to 9,713 babies in the United States, ranking #12 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Levi a girl's or a boy's name?
Levi is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Levi?
Levi has 2 syllables.
When was Levi most popular?
Levi peaked in 2022, when 9,936 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Levi?
Levi is usually shortened to Lev.
Is Levi a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Levi currently ranks #12 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.