What does Liv mean?
Liv comes from the Old Norse for “life” or “protection.”
What does Alva mean?
Alva comes from the Old Norse for “elf,” a being of light.
Liv vs Alva
Which is more popular?
Liv is more popular than Alva today: about 296 US babies were given the name Liv in 2025, compared with 22 named Alva.
| Liv | Alva | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Life | Elf |
| Origin | Norse | Norse |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | LEEV | AHL-vah |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1956 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2017 (437) | 1918 (196) |
| In 2025 | 296 | 22 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Liv
Alva
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Liv | Alva |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,267 | 176 |
| 2010s | 3,443 | 197 |
| 2000s | 890 | 132 |
| 1990s | 84 | 157 |
| 1980s | 73 | 279 |
| 1970s | 129 | 316 |
| 1960s | 5 | 519 |
| 1950s | 10 | 797 |
| 1940s | 0 | 875 |
| 1930s | 0 | 1,185 |
| 1920s | 0 | 1,591 |
| 1910s | 0 | 1,404 |
| 1900s | 0 | 604 |
| 1890s | 0 | 475 |
| 1880s | 0 | 182 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Liv or Alva more popular?
Liv is more popular than Alva today: about 296 US babies were given the name Liv in 2025, compared with 22 named Alva.
What is the difference between Liv and Alva?
Liv means Life (Norse origin), while Alva means Elf (Norse origin).
Which name is older, Liv or Alva?
In US records, Liv first appears in 1956 and Alva in 1880, so Alva has the longer recorded history.