Lily
Lily is a girls' name of Latin origin meaning “lily flower, purity and beauty.” It ranked #23 in the United States in 2025. Directly from the Latin 'lilium' and Greek 'leirion,' the lily is one of history's most cherished floral symbols,…
how do you pronounce Lily?
LIL-ee
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Lily mean?
The name Lily means “lily flower, purity and beauty.” It comes from the Latin language tradition.
Directly from the Latin 'lilium' and Greek 'leirion,' the lily is one of history's most cherished floral symbols, representing purity, passion, and rebirth across many cultures from ancient Egypt to Christianity.
where does the name Lily come from?
From the Latin lilium, the flower. In Christian iconography the white lily is the emblem of purity and is placed in the Angel Gabriel's hand at the Annunciation, which is where the name's association with innocence comes from.
the history of Lily
Lily doubles as a pet form of Lilian and Elizabeth, so its history runs on two tracks at once. It was popular in the Victorian botanical wave, and the actress Lillie Langtry — the Jersey Lily — made it fashionable in the 1880s. After decades out of use it returned emphatically, reaching the British top five in the 2000s.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2024 | #23 |
| 2023 | #25 |
| 2022 | #27 |
| 2021 | #29 |
| 2020 | #31 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Lily?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Lily?
- Lily James (actress)
- Lily Allen (singer)
- Lily Tomlin (actress)
- Lily Potter (Harry Potter character)
what names are similar to Lily?
what names go well with Lily?
Sibling names that share Lily's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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