Lillian
Lillian is a girls' name of Latin origin meaning “lily flower, symbol of purity.” It ranked #57 in the United States in 2025.
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how do you pronounce Lillian?
LIL-ee-un
where does the name Lillian come from?
Most likely an elaboration of Lily, though it may equally be a variant of Elizabeth by way of the medieval Lilian. The uncertainty is genuine: the name appears in England from the sixteenth century, before the flower was commonly used as a given name.
Derived from the Latin 'lilium,' the lily has been associated with purity, the Virgin Mary, and resurrection across Christian traditions. Lillian was a fashionable name in the early 20th century and has experienced a major revival.
how popular is this name?
Lillian has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 146 years since 1880. It peaked at #10 in 1898, and ranked #57 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #57 |
| 2024 | #54 |
| 2023 | #55 |
| 2022 | #50 |
| 2021 | #51 |
| 2020 | #46 |
| 2019 | #37 |
| 2018 | #34 |
| 2017 | #27 |
| 2016 | #28 |
| 2010 | #22 |
| 2000 | #129 |
| 1990 | #366 |
| 1980 | #424 |
| 1970 | #335 |
| 1960 | #223 |
| 1950 | #156 |
| 1940 | #97 |
| 1930 | #44 |
| 1920 | #18 |
| 1910 | #14 |
| 1900 | #10 |
| 1898 | #10 |
| 1890 | #19 |
| 1880 | #32 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Lillian fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Lillian
Lillian Gish, whose career ran from the silent era to the 1980s, and Lillian Hellman, the playwright who refused to name names before the House Un-American Activities Committee, gave the name two forceful twentieth-century bearers. It ranked in the American top twenty around 1900, disappeared for fifty years, and returned in the 2000s.
what are the nicknames and variants of Lillian?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Lillian?
- Lillian Gish (silent film actress)
- Lillian Hellman (playwright)
what names are similar to Lillian?
what names go well with Lillian?
Sibling names that share Lillian's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Lillian
What does the name Lillian mean?
Lillian means “lily flower, symbol of purity”.
What is the origin of the name Lillian?
Lillian comes from the Latin naming tradition. Related forms include Lilian, Liliana and Lillianna.
How popular is the name Lillian?
Lillian ranked #57 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 1898, at #10, and it has spent 146 years in the top 1,000 since 1880.
Is Lillian a boy or girl name?
Lillian is primarily a girls' name.
How do you pronounce Lillian?
Lillian is pronounced LIL-ee-un, with 3 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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