| Levi | Isaac | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | joined, attached | He will laugh |
| Origin | hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | LEE-vye | EYE-zik |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2022 (9,869) | 2007 (10,274) |
| In 2025 | 9,642 | 5,953 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Levi | Isaac |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 57,122 | 39,997 |
| 2010s | 78,001 | 94,574 |
| 2000s | 29,477 | 90,761 |
| 1990s | 20,408 | 40,271 |
| 1980s | 12,648 | 18,374 |
| 1970s | 3,798 | 10,480 |
| 1960s | 1,501 | 4,605 |
| 1950s | 1,997 | 5,479 |
| 1940s | 1,774 | 5,064 |
| 1930s | 1,842 | 4,715 |
| 1920s | 2,396 | 6,552 |
| 1910s | 1,773 | 4,952 |
| 1900s | 664 | 1,638 |
| 1890s | 685 | 1,735 |
| 1880s | 927 | 2,311 |
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.
Isaac is from the Hebrew Yiṣḥaq, “he will laugh,” a reference to Sarah’s joy at his birth in Genesis.
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.
Levi means joined, attached (hebrew origin), while Isaac means He will laugh (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Levi first appears in 1880 and Isaac in 1880, so Levi has the longer recorded history.