| Isaac | Levi | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | He will laugh | joined, attached |
| Origin | Hebrew | hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | EYE-zik | LEE-vye |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2007 (10,274) | 2022 (9,869) |
| In 2025 | 5,953 | 9,642 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Isaac | Levi |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 39,997 | 57,122 |
| 2010s | 94,574 | 78,001 |
| 2000s | 90,761 | 29,477 |
| 1990s | 40,271 | 20,408 |
| 1980s | 18,374 | 12,648 |
| 1970s | 10,480 | 3,798 |
| 1960s | 4,605 | 1,501 |
| 1950s | 5,479 | 1,997 |
| 1940s | 5,064 | 1,774 |
| 1930s | 4,715 | 1,842 |
| 1920s | 6,552 | 2,396 |
| 1910s | 4,952 | 1,773 |
| 1900s | 1,638 | 664 |
| 1890s | 1,735 | 685 |
| 1880s | 2,311 | 927 |
Isaac is from the Hebrew Yiṣḥaq, “he will laugh,” a reference to Sarah’s joy at his birth in Genesis.
From the Hebrew verb lawah, 'to join, attach, accompany.' Genesis 29:34 explains the name by Leah's hope that her husband will now be 'joined' to her — a biblical folk etymology, but one that rests on the genuine root l-w-h.
Levi is more popular than Isaac today: about 9,642 US babies were given the name Levi in 2025, compared with 5,953 named Isaac.
Isaac means He will laugh (Hebrew origin), while Levi means joined, attached (hebrew origin).
In US records, Isaac first appears in 1880 and Levi in 1880, so Isaac has the longer recorded history.