Hilary Girl

Popularity: #924 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: HIL-uh-ree //ˈhɪləri//

Origin: Latin; English

Meaning: Latin: cheerful; English: from the name Hilarius

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Hilary has its roots in the Latin name "Hilarius," which means "cheerful" or "joyful." This name was derived from the Latin word "hilaris," which carries the same meaning. The transition into English occurred through Old French, where the name was adapted as "Hilaire" before entering the English lexicon as "Hilary." The name has been used in various forms across different cultures, but its core meaning of joyfulness has remained consistent throughout its history.

Historically, the name Hilary has been borne by several notable figures, particularly in the Christian tradition. One prominent example is Saint Hilary of Poitiers, a bishop and theologian from the 4th century, who was known for his defense of the Nicene Creed against Arianism.

His contributions to early Christian thought were significant, and he was later declared a Doctor of the Church. The name also appears in various historical texts and translations, including the Vulgate, the Latin version of the Bible, which was completed in the late 4th century and has influenced Christian naming conventions.

Culturally, the name Hilary has been associated with themes of joy and light-heartedness, reflecting its etymological roots. The name has been used in various literary and artistic contexts, often symbolizing hope and positivity.

Additionally, the diminutive form "Hillary" has emerged as a variant, though it is less common in historical texts. The enduring nature of the name can be attributed to its positive connotations and its association with significant religious figures, which have helped it maintain a place in various cultural narratives.

Famous people named Hilary

In this section, you will find notable people named Hilary. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Hilary who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Hilary who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Hilary Swank is an actress best known for Boys Don't Cry, Million Dollar Baby, and The Homesman.

Hilary Duff is an actress and singer best known for Lizzie McGuire, A Cinderella Story, and Younger.

Fictional characters named Hilary

The following list of fictional characters named Hilary is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Hilary Banks is a fictional character from the TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She is the fashionable and sometimes spoiled cousin of the main character, Will Smith.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Hilary, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

HannahHarperHeidiHazelHolly

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Hilary. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

HillaryHilarieHelenaHildaHollyHavenHattieHesperHarmonie

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Hilary was first seen in the United States in 1882.

Hilary has ranked as high as #466 nationally, which occurred in 1990, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Hilary has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Hilary is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Hilary was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Hilary.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 24 0 24
2024 37 0 37
2023 60 0 60
2022 45 0 45
2021 20 0 20
2020 22 0 22
2019 31 0 31
2018 16 5 11
2017 16 0 16
2016 27 0 27
2015 56 0 56
2014 60 0 60
2013 66 0 66
2012 75 0 75
2011 79 0 79
2010 80 0 80
2009 87 0 87
2008 101 0 101
2007 164 0 164
2006 218 0 218
2005 219 0 219
2004 196 0 196
2003 110 0 110
2002 96 0 96
2001 84 0 84
2000 87 0 87
1999 81 0 81
1998 92 0 92
1997 107 0 107
1996 123 0 123
1995 125 0 125
1994 145 0 145
1993 350 6 344
1992 1,176 6 1,170
1991 1,154 5 1,149
1990 1,225 8 1,217
1989 1,041 15 1,026
1988 981 5 976
1987 881 8 873
1986 921 12 909
1985 1,067 13 1,054
1984 887 10 877
1983 669 14 655
1982 607 6 601
1981 637 12 625
1980 757 16 741
1979 892 10 882
1978 774 11 763
1977 594 14 580
1976 448 11 437
1975 461 9 452
1974 439 13 426
1973 385 10 375
1972 350 17 333
1971 360 12 348
1970 380 25 355
1969 359 12 347
1968 264 11 253
1967 249 15 234
1966 269 16 253
1965 260 13 247
1964 274 17 257
1963 274 24 250
1962 215 15 200
1961 230 24 206
1960 183 19 164
1959 178 32 146
1958 163 35 128
1957 204 31 173
1956 199 37 162
1955 173 35 138
1954 151 35 116
1953 153 39 114
1952 127 27 100
1951 131 28 103
1950 135 26 109
1949 120 34 86
1948 102 41 61
1947 104 42 62
1946 58 20 38
1945 73 28 45
1944 61 28 33
1943 62 35 27
1942 61 25 36
1941 50 26 24
1940 41 29 12
1939 37 29 8
1938 28 20 8
1937 40 28 12
1936 37 28 9
1935 50 39 11
1934 33 33 0
1933 44 38 6
1932 39 30 9
1931 51 45 6
1930 44 36 8
1929 53 48 5
1928 42 42 0
1927 48 40 8
1926 53 45 8
1925 32 32 0
1924 58 53 5
1923 57 51 6
1922 38 38 0
1921 37 37 0
1920 48 42 6
1919 44 35 9
1918 53 47 6
1917 44 44 0
1916 40 40 0
1915 36 36 0
1914 29 24 5
1913 23 23 0
1912 22 22 0
1911 12 12 0
1910 8 8 0
1909 7 7 0
1908 5 5 0
1907 5 5 0
1905 6 6 0
1904 5 5 0
1902 8 8 0
1898 5 5 0
1897 5 5 0
1896 6 6 0
1891 8 8 0
1887 7 7 0
1883 6 6 0
1882 7 7 0

Top States for Hilary (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 7
100%