Lillian
Used since the sixteenth century, possibly originally a pet form of Elizabeth, but generally accepted as a variant of Late Latin lilium (“lily”).
Every Lillian since 1880 — 476,457 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lillian
Lillian is a top-100 name for girls in the United States, ranked #57 in 2025 with 3,966 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 476,457 American babies have been named Lillian. Its peak came in 1920, when 10,075 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lillian stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lillian year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,966 | #57 | — | — |
| 2024 | 3,893 | #54 | — | — |
| 2023 | 3,940 | #55 | — | — |
| 2022 | 4,260 | #50 | — | — |
| 2021 | 4,328 | #51 | — | — |
| 2020 | 4,515 | #46 | 5 | #13,292 |
| 2019 | 5,127 | #37 | — | — |
| 2018 | 5,567 | #34 | — | — |
| 2017 | 6,181 | #27 | 7 | #10,354 |
| 2016 | 6,386 | #28 | 10 | #7,928 |
| 2015 | 6,628 | #26 | 5 | #13,262 |
| 2014 | 6,924 | #25 | — | — |
| 2013 | 7,085 | #26 | 5 | #13,286 |
| 2012 | 7,171 | #25 | 5 | #13,441 |
| 2011 | 6,934 | #22 | 9 | #8,508 |
| 2010 | 6,957 | #22 | — | — |
| 2009 | 6,861 | #27 | 6 | #11,890 |
| 2008 | 6,817 | #29 | 9 | #8,731 |
| 2007 | 6,552 | #33 | 10 | #7,949 |
| 2006 | 6,236 | #38 | 10 | #7,785 |
| 2005 | 5,215 | #50 | 9 | #8,054 |
| 2004 | 4,734 | #65 | 24 | #3,816 |
| 2003 | 4,030 | #76 | — | — |
| 2002 | 3,397 | #96 | — | — |
| 2001 | 2,951 | #111 | — | — |
| 2000 | 2,600 | #129 | 5 | #11,478 |
| 1995 | 942 | #294 | — | — |
| 1990 | 722 | #366 | 8 | #6,184 |
| 1985 | 540 | #413 | 8 | #4,982 |
| 1980 | 510 | #425 | — | — |
| 1975 | 454 | #437 | — | — |
| 1970 | 782 | #335 | 5 | #5,155 |
| 1965 | 1,016 | #272 | 9 | #2,905 |
| 1960 | 1,433 | #223 | 10 | #2,790 |
| 1955 | 1,658 | #195 | 8 | #3,108 |
| 1950 | 1,884 | #156 | — | — |
| 1945 | 2,017 | #124 | 9 | #2,507 |
| 1940 | 2,525 | #97 | 13 | #2,045 |
| 1935 | 3,423 | #66 | 16 | #1,800 |
| 1930 | 5,447 | #44 | 30 | #1,317 |
| 1925 | 8,351 | #25 | 24 | #1,560 |
| 1920 | 10,049 | #18 | 26 | #1,484 |
| 1915 | 9,546 | #15 | 24 | #1,394 |
| 1910 | 4,127 | #14 | 15 | #806 |
| 1905 | 3,185 | #13 | 11 | #776 |
| 1900 | 3,414 | #10 | 11 | #824 |
| 1895 | 2,495 | #16 | 12 | #628 |
| 1890 | 1,862 | #19 | 10 | #648 |
| 1885 | 1,143 | #27 | — | — |
| 1880 | 672 | #32 | — | — |
Famous people named Lillian
- Lillian Gish Actor · 1893–1993
- Lillian Asplund Religious figure · 1906–2006
- Lillian Moller Gilbreth Inventor · 1878–1972
- Lillian Hellman Writer · 1905–1984
- Lillian Copeland Athlete · 1904–1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lillian mean?
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 the name Lillian in 2025?
Lillian ranked #57 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,966 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lillian?
476,457 babies have been named Lillian in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lillian most popular?
Lillian peaked in 1920, when 10,075 newborns received the name.
Is Lillian a boy or girl name?
Lillian is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lillian rising or falling?
Lillian is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lillian?
Well-known people named Lillian include Lillian Gish (actor), Lillian Asplund (religious figure), Lillian Moller Gilbreth (inventor).