US Popularity Rank: 1784

Origin: Scandinavian

Meaning: Heir, descendant

Leif is a fearless masculine name rooted in Viking history and given to great adventure. Scandinavian in origin, Leif stems from the Old Norse leifr and means "descendent" or "heir." Far from princely sentiments, Leif's translations showcase the impressive inheritance of the famous explorer Leifr Eiríksson. Born the son of Erik the Red—who founded the first European settlement on Greenland—Leifr not only followed his father's footsteps but blazed a trail all of his own. The 11th-century pathfinder is heralded as the first to step foot on the North American continent, 500 years before Christopher Columbus. Time will tell what fresh new ground young Leif will break.