Lillian Girl

Popularity: #56 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LIL-ee-uhn /ˈlɪl.i.ən/

Origin: Latin; English

Meaning: Latin: lily; English: pure, innocent

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Lillian is derived from the Latin word "lilium," meaning "lily," a flower that has been associated with purity and beauty throughout history. The name evolved through various forms, including the Old French "Lilie" and the Medieval Latin "Lilianus," before entering the English language in the 19th century.

The transition into English was facilitated by the popularity of floral names and the cultural significance of the lily in Christian symbolism, where it represents the Virgin Mary and is often depicted in religious art. Historically, the name Lillian gained prominence in the late 19th century, coinciding with the Victorian era's fascination with floral motifs and nature-inspired names.

Notable figures such as Lillian Russell, a famous American actress and singer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, contributed to the name's recognition. Additionally, the name appears in literary works and has been used in various cultural contexts, reinforcing its association with grace and femininity.

Culturally, the lily has been a symbol of purity and renewal across various traditions, which has further solidified the name Lillian's appeal. In literature and art, the lily often represents innocence and virtue, qualities that have historically resonated with the name's bearers.

The diminutive form "Lily" has also emerged as a popular variant, reflecting the name's floral roots and enhancing its charm. Overall, Lillian embodies a rich tapestry of linguistic, historical, and cultural significance, rooted in its floral origins and the enduring associations of the lily.

Famous people named Lillian

In this section, you will find notable people named Lillian. 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 Lillian who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Lillian 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.

Lillian Gish is an actress best known for The Birth of a Nation, Intolerance, and Way Down East.

Lillian Hellman is a playwright best known for The Little Foxes, Toys in the Attic, and Watch on the Rhine.

Lillian Russell is a singer and actress best known for her performances in the Ziegfeld Follies and her popular songs in the early 20th century.

Lillian Vernon is a businesswoman best known for founding Lillian Vernon Corporation, a mail-order catalog company.

Lillian Carter is a nurse and humanitarian best known for her work in health care and her role as the mother of Jimmy Carter.

Fictional characters named Lillian

The following list of fictional characters named Lillian 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.

Lillian is a fictional character from the animated film The Princess and the Frog. She is a supporting character who is a friend to Tiana and helps her navigate her journey.

Sibling suggestions

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

LilaLydiaLunaLeahLenaLucyLola

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Lillian. 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.

LilithLilaLillieLinaLiviaLydiaLolaLuna

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Lillian was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Lillian has ranked as high as #37 nationally, which occurred in 1920, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Illinois, and California.

In the past 5 years the name Lillian has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Lillian 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 Lillian 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 Lillian.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 3,966 0 3,966
2024 3,893 0 3,893
2023 3,940 0 3,940
2022 4,260 0 4,260
2021 4,328 0 4,328
2020 4,520 5 4,515
2019 5,127 0 5,127
2018 5,567 0 5,567
2017 6,188 7 6,181
2016 6,396 10 6,386
2015 6,633 5 6,628
2014 6,924 0 6,924
2013 7,090 5 7,085
2012 7,176 5 7,171
2011 6,943 9 6,934
2010 6,957 0 6,957
2009 6,867 6 6,861
2008 6,826 9 6,817
2007 6,562 10 6,552
2006 6,246 10 6,236
2005 5,224 9 5,215
2004 4,758 24 4,734
2003 4,030 0 4,030
2002 3,397 0 3,397
2001 2,951 0 2,951
2000 2,605 5 2,600
1999 2,195 5 2,190
1998 1,718 0 1,718
1997 1,393 0 1,393
1996 1,127 0 1,127
1995 942 0 942
1994 882 0 882
1993 736 0 736
1992 749 0 749
1991 770 0 770
1990 730 8 722
1989 695 0 695
1988 652 6 646
1987 531 0 531
1986 554 0 554
1985 548 8 540
1984 468 0 468
1983 453 0 453
1982 475 0 475
1981 518 0 518
1980 510 0 510
1979 441 5 436
1978 399 0 399
1977 470 0 470
1976 479 0 479
1975 454 0 454
1974 483 0 483
1973 564 0 564
1972 620 0 620
1971 682 5 677
1970 787 5 782
1969 779 6 773
1968 813 0 813
1967 848 5 843
1966 889 8 881
1965 1,025 9 1,016
1964 1,065 0 1,065
1963 1,169 6 1,163
1962 1,314 6 1,308
1961 1,318 7 1,311
1960 1,443 10 1,433
1959 1,468 0 1,468
1958 1,428 7 1,421
1957 1,613 9 1,604
1956 1,636 5 1,631
1955 1,666 8 1,658
1954 1,634 7 1,627
1953 1,663 6 1,657
1952 1,733 0 1,733
1951 1,835 9 1,826
1950 1,884 0 1,884
1949 1,951 6 1,945
1948 2,120 5 2,115
1947 2,090 0 2,090
1946 2,160 0 2,160
1945 2,026 9 2,017
1944 2,130 10 2,120
1943 2,405 13 2,392
1942 2,505 16 2,489
1941 2,480 18 2,462
1940 2,538 13 2,525
1939 2,566 15 2,551
1938 2,839 14 2,825
1937 2,917 18 2,899
1936 3,135 18 3,117
1935 3,439 16 3,423
1934 3,997 24 3,973
1933 4,021 23 3,998
1932 4,381 30 4,351
1931 4,844 37 4,807
1930 5,477 30 5,447
1929 5,755 43 5,712
1928 6,623 46 6,577
1927 7,227 45 7,182
1926 7,688 27 7,661
1925 8,375 24 8,351
1924 9,135 35 9,100
1923 9,362 34 9,328
1922 9,459 29 9,430
1921 9,793 23 9,770
1920 10,075 26 10,049
1919 9,542 26 9,516
1918 10,009 23 9,986
1917 9,876 33 9,843
1916 9,618 26 9,592
1915 9,570 24 9,546
1914 7,387 33 7,354
1913 6,036 21 6,015
1912 5,598 30 5,568
1911 4,380 13 4,367
1910 4,142 15 4,127
1909 3,611 15 3,596
1908 3,643 9 3,634
1907 3,557 15 3,542
1906 3,307 14 3,293
1905 3,196 11 3,185
1904 3,149 10 3,139
1903 2,984 12 2,972
1902 3,076 13 3,063
1901 2,698 17 2,681
1900 3,425 11 3,414
1899 2,711 8 2,703
1898 3,076 15 3,061
1897 2,696 13 2,683
1896 2,713 11 2,702
1895 2,507 12 2,495
1894 2,448 7 2,441
1893 2,202 9 2,193
1892 2,164 10 2,154
1891 1,821 9 1,812
1890 1,872 10 1,862
1889 1,647 7 1,640
1888 1,663 7 1,656
1887 1,314 6 1,308
1886 1,282 0 1,282
1885 1,143 0 1,143
1884 1,115 6 1,109
1883 913 6 907
1882 836 6 830
1881 723 0 723
1880 672 0 672

Top States for Lillian (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 301
8%
CA 247
6%
OH 212
5%
FL 179
5%
PA 172
4%
NY 171
4%
NC 170
4%
GA 139
4%
MI 134
3%
IL 133
3%
TN 128
3%
VA 124
3%
MO 113
3%
MA 107
3%
IN 103
3%
KY 91
2%
WI 89
2%
CO 87
2%
AL 84
2%
MD 84
2%
WA 78
2%
MN 72
2%
SC 71
2%
NJ 69
2%
IA 63
2%
LA 54
1%
AZ 54
1%
OK 53
1%
AR 47
1%
WV 44
1%
KS 38
1%
MS 37
1%
OR 36
1%
CT 34
1%
UT 31
1%
NE 30
1%
NH 26
1%
ID 22
1%
ME 21
1%
NV 18
0%
SD 16
0%
MT 15
0%
DC 14
0%
HI 14
0%
VT 12
0%
DE 10
0%
AK 9
0%
RI 8
0%
ND 7
0%