What does Ivar mean?
Ivar joins the Old Norse for “yew/bow” and “warrior.”
What does Leif mean?
Leif means “heir” or “descendant” in Old Norse.
Ivar vs Leif
Which is more popular?
Leif is more popular than Ivar today: about 257 US babies were given the name Leif in 2025, compared with 133 named Ivar.
| Ivar | Leif | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Bow warrior | Heir, descendant |
| Origin | Norse | Norse |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | EE-var | LAYF |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1896 | 1912 |
| Peak year | 2025 (133) | 2022 (290) |
| In 2025 | 133 | 257 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Ivar
Leif
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Ivar | Leif |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 668 | 1,542 |
| 2010s | 260 | 1,971 |
| 2000s | 48 | 1,329 |
| 1990s | 6 | 878 |
| 1980s | 10 | 1,231 |
| 1970s | 36 | 1,158 |
| 1960s | 45 | 886 |
| 1950s | 45 | 442 |
| 1940s | 33 | 196 |
| 1930s | 84 | 111 |
| 1920s | 114 | 126 |
| 1910s | 109 | 127 |
| 1900s | 5 | 0 |
| 1890s | 5 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ivar or Leif more popular?
Leif is more popular than Ivar today: about 257 US babies were given the name Leif in 2025, compared with 133 named Ivar.
What is the difference between Ivar and Leif?
Ivar means Bow warrior (Norse origin), while Leif means Heir, descendant (Norse origin).
Which name is older, Ivar or Leif?
In US records, Ivar first appears in 1896 and Leif in 1912, so Ivar has the longer recorded history.