Lillian: Meaning, origin and popularity

Pronounced LIL-ee-uhn · 3 syllables

Lillian means “lily”, from Latin and English.

Used since the sixteenth century, possibly originally a pet form of Elizabeth, but generally accepted as a variant of Late Latin lilium (“lily”).

How popular is Lillian?

Lillian was the #57 name in the US in 2025, given to 3,966 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 42% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1900.

Babies named Lillian in the US by five-year period, relative to its peak (around 1900).

Half of US adults named Lillian are older than 33; most are between 18 and 88. (Estimated from US births by year and life tables.)

Chosen by the same families or with a similar style and era.

Lillian means “lily”. It comes from Latin and English.

Lillian is pronounced LIL-ee-uhn.

Lillian was the #57 name in the US in 2025, given to 3,966 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 42% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1900.

Half of US adults named Lillian are older than 33. Most are between 18 and 88.