Liv is a Scandinavian name from the Old Norse hlíf, which means "protection" or "shelter", although Scandinavians today also hear the modern word liv, "life", in it. Actresses Liv Ullmann and Liv Tyler gave the name a face in the United States, where it also serves as a short form of Olivia. Liv entered the top 1000 in 2013, peaked at number 666 in 2020 and ranks 896th in 2025.