Lillian
Probably an elaboration of Lily, though it may also descend from a medieval diminutive of Elizabeth.
Popularity, 1880–2025
An elaboration of Lily, at its height around 1900 when silent star Lillian Gish kept it in lights.
Lillian appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in 85 different years between 1880 and 2025. Its biggest year was 1920, when 10,049 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 18 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1898, at No. 10. In 2025 it ranked No. 57 for girls. All told, 476,457 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Lilian (20,470), Lilyan (4,339), Lilyann (3,377), Lillyann (2,487), Lillyan (2,426), Lilyanne (1,656) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: Elizabeth, Lily
Explore Lillian interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 11,270 | No. 23 |
| 1890s | 24,106 | No. 10 |
| 1900s | 32,519 | No. 10 |
| 1910s | 75,914 | No. 13 |
| 1920s | 83,160 | No. 18 |
| 1930s | 37,391 | No. 44 |
| 1940s | 22,315 | No. 97 |
| 1950s | 16,509 | No. 156 |
| 1960s | 10,606 | No. 223 |
| 1970s | 5,364 | No. 335 |
| 1980s | 5,390 | No. 368 |
| 1990s | 11,229 | No. 147 |
| 2000s | 49,393 | No. 27 |
| 2010s | 64,960 | No. 22 |
| 2020s | 24,902 | No. 46 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.