Levi

In the Biblical Old Testament, Jacob and Leah had a son who lent his name to a tribe. That tribe, the Levites, formed the priestly Israelites. It is not surprising, then, that Levi means "joined" or "attached" in Hebrew. 

In the English-speaking world, Levi has been used in Britain since the late 1500s and became more common in the 19th century. Perhaps it ranked in the English top 100 in 1860 and 1870; other Biblical names such as Amos and Enoch were also popular in Victorian England, justifying Levi's popularity. 

As an American name, Levi has ranked in the top 1000 every year since 1880. It first peaked outside the top 100 in 1881 before falling out of the top 200 in the mid 1890s, during which Levi's jeans became more popular. After hitting its low point in the 700s in 1965, Levi began rising again. It returned to the top 200 in 1987 and entered the top 100 for the first time in 2009. Since 2020, Levi has been a top 20 hit. 

Within the English world, Levi has also been a top 100 hit in Australia since 2004, Canada since 2009, and New Zealand since 1990. It is popular in Austria, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland as well. 

Levi's modern popularity contributes to the same quirky Biblical style that made it common in Victorian England. Its middle-"v" sound is also stylish. Parents might additionally use Levi as an alternative to Liam, another factor contributing to its rise. One more thing to note is that the popular jean brand was named for its founder, Levi Strauss (1829-1902); his company was the first to manufacture blue jeans. 

Levi hits all the right notes with its quirky Biblical and rustic style, but it is clearly too popular for many parents. However, not too many names sound like Levi, making it feel less common.

STYLES:

Biblical, Compact, Rustic

SISTERS:

Ava, Chloe, Faith, Hannah, Lila, Naomi, Ruby, Scarlett

BROTHERS:

Asher, Caleb, Eli, Jude, Lucas, Noah, Owen, Wyatt

ALTERNATIVES:

Eben, Felix, Ira, Leif, Leland, Lyle, Reno, Wiley

FURTHER RESOURCES:

"Levi." Names, Behind the Name, 7 Dec. 2022, https://www.behindthename.com/name/levi. 

Nickerson, Eleanor. "Name of the Week: Levi." Names of the Week, British Baby Names, 8 Jul. 2016, https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2016/08/levi.html. 

Sandel, Abby. "Baby Name Levi: Biblical and Rugged." Master List: Boy Names, Appellation Mountain, 15 Mar. 2022, https://appellationmountain.net/name-of-the-day-levi/. 

Waterhouse, Emma. "Victorian Baby Names Revive an Era." News, Nameberry, 17 Aug. 2024, https://nameberry.com/blog/victorian-baby-names-revive-an-era. 

What do you think about Levi?