What does Magnus mean?
Magnus comes from the Latin for “great,” long popular across Scandinavia.
What does Leif mean?
Leif means “heir” or “descendant” in Old Norse.
Magnus vs Leif
Which is more popular?
Magnus is more popular than Leif today: about 337 US babies were given the name Magnus in 2025, compared with 257 named Leif.
| Magnus | Leif | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Great | Heir, descendant |
| Origin | Norse | Norse |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | MAG-nus | LAYF |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1890 | 1912 |
| Peak year | 2021 (354) | 2022 (290) |
| In 2025 | 337 | 257 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Magnus
Leif
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Magnus | Leif |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,989 | 1,542 |
| 2010s | 2,389 | 1,971 |
| 2000s | 1,028 | 1,329 |
| 1990s | 212 | 878 |
| 1980s | 74 | 1,231 |
| 1970s | 30 | 1,158 |
| 1960s | 18 | 886 |
| 1950s | 39 | 442 |
| 1940s | 23 | 196 |
| 1930s | 66 | 111 |
| 1920s | 132 | 126 |
| 1910s | 122 | 127 |
| 1900s | 29 | 0 |
| 1890s | 21 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Magnus or Leif more popular?
Magnus is more popular than Leif today: about 337 US babies were given the name Magnus in 2025, compared with 257 named Leif.
What is the difference between Magnus and Leif?
Magnus means Great (Norse origin), while Leif means Heir, descendant (Norse origin).
Which name is older, Magnus or Leif?
In US records, Magnus first appears in 1890 and Leif in 1912, so Magnus has the longer recorded history.