Lev

לֵב

• Gender: Male
• Origin: Modern Hebrew
• Meaning: heart, lion

• Lev is a short, punchy name with a beautiful double meaning. In Hebrew, it means "heart," while in Russian, it means "lion" — and both of those concepts hold deep significance in Jewish tradition. The heart represents emotion, compassion, and inner life; the lion represents strength and courage. Somehow this tiny three-letter name manages to contain all of it.

  It's everywhere right now, and for good reason — enormous warmth and depth packed into a tiny, unforgettable package. Lev Vygotsky, the groundbreaking Jewish psychologist whose theories on child development still shape education worldwide, gave the name serious intellectual pedigree. It sounds equally at home in a Brooklyn co-op and a kibbutz, and its dual meaning gives parents two beautiful stories to tell.

• Potential Sibling Name:
  Aliya
  ,
  Eliana
  ,
  Ariel
  ,
  Katriel
• Theme: animals, love