Lily Girl

Popularity: #18 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LIL-ee /ˈlɪli/

Origin: Latin; English

Meaning: Latin: purity; English: flower

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Lily derives from the Latin word "lilium," which means "lily" and refers to the flower known for its beauty and purity. This Latin term traces back to the earlier Greek word "krinon," which also signifies a type of lily.

The name entered the English language through Old French, where it was adopted as "lilie" during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, eventually evolving into the modern English "Lily." The flower itself has long been associated with various cultural and religious significances, often symbolizing purity, innocence, and renewal. Historically, the lily has been a prominent symbol in various cultures and religions.

In Christianity, it is frequently associated with the Virgin Mary, representing her purity and motherhood. This connection is particularly evident in the artwork of the Renaissance period, where lilies are often depicted alongside Marian imagery.

The name Lily has also been borne by several notable figures throughout history, including Saint Anthony of Padua, who is often depicted with a lily, symbolizing his purity and devotion. The name gained further resonance through literary works and translations, such as the King James Bible, completed in the early 17th century, which references lilies in the context of divine beauty and care, notably in the Sermon on the Mount.

The enduring appeal of the name can also be attributed to its association with nature and beauty, making it a favored choice in various cultures. Additionally, diminutive forms like Lila or Lillie have emerged, reflecting the name's adaptability and affection in familial contexts.

Overall, the name Lily encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic roots, historical significance, and cultural symbolism.

Famous people named Lily

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

We also feature individuals named Lily 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.

Lily Collins is an actress and model best known for Emily in Paris, The Blind Side, and Love, Rosie.

Lily Tomlin is an actress and comedian best known for Grace and Frankie, Nashville, and 9 to 5.

Lily James is an actress best known for Cinderella, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and Baby Driver.

Lily Aldridge is a model best known for her work with Victoria's Secret and for being a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model.

Lily Rabe is an actress best known for American Horror Story, The Good Wife, and All Good Things.

Lily Allen is a singer and songwriter best known for her albums Alright, Still, It's Not Me, It's You, and Sheezus.

Lily Pichus is a musician best known for her work in the indie music scene and her contributions to various collaborative projects.

Fictional characters named Lily

The following list of fictional characters named Lily 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.

Lily Potter is a fictional character from the book series Harry Potter. She is the mother of the protagonist, Harry, and is known for her sacrifice to protect him from Voldemort.

Lily Aldrin is a fictional character from the TV series How I Met Your Mother. She is a passionate artist and a close friend of the main character, Ted Mosby.

Lily Munster is a fictional character from the TV series The Munsters. She is the matriarch of the Munster family, known for her loving nature and vampire heritage.

Lily Evans is a fictional character from the book series Harry Potter. She is a key figure in the backstory, known for her friendship with Severus Snape and her eventual marriage to James Potter.

Sibling suggestions

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

RoseVioletDaisyIrisJasminePoppy

Similar names

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

LilaLaylaLinaLolaLeilaLanaLara

U.S. Historical Usage

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

Lily has ranked as high as #64 nationally, which occurred in 2011, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Lily 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 Lily 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 Lily.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 6,673 0 6,673
2024 6,121 0 6,121
2023 6,176 0 6,176
2022 6,012 0 6,012
2021 5,632 0 5,632
2020 5,263 5 5,258
2019 5,461 0 5,461
2018 5,753 0 5,753
2017 5,862 0 5,862
2016 6,610 0 6,610
2015 6,690 7 6,683
2014 6,796 7 6,789
2013 7,009 5 7,004
2012 7,982 12 7,970
2011 8,199 7 8,192
2010 8,001 9 7,992
2009 8,109 8 8,101
2008 8,137 9 8,128
2007 7,508 9 7,499
2006 6,775 7 6,768
2005 6,107 17 6,090
2004 5,423 21 5,402
2003 4,440 6 4,434
2002 3,834 0 3,834
2001 3,197 0 3,197
2000 2,733 0 2,733
1999 2,123 0 2,123
1998 1,752 0 1,752
1997 1,355 0 1,355
1996 1,091 0 1,091
1995 853 0 853
1994 648 0 648
1993 557 0 557
1992 523 0 523
1991 474 0 474
1990 396 0 396
1989 423 6 417
1988 400 0 400
1987 309 0 309
1986 292 0 292
1985 243 0 243
1984 223 0 223
1983 206 0 206
1982 208 0 208
1981 223 0 223
1980 187 0 187
1979 150 0 150
1978 111 0 111
1977 107 0 107
1976 133 0 133
1975 122 0 122
1974 107 0 107
1973 102 0 102
1972 139 0 139
1971 124 0 124
1970 125 0 125
1969 116 0 116
1968 99 0 99
1967 96 0 96
1966 112 0 112
1965 94 0 94
1964 133 0 133
1963 123 0 123
1962 120 0 120
1961 128 0 128
1960 127 0 127
1959 127 0 127
1958 149 0 149
1957 149 0 149
1956 159 0 159
1955 165 0 165
1954 144 0 144
1953 130 0 130
1952 133 0 133
1951 135 0 135
1950 135 0 135
1949 131 0 131
1948 139 0 139
1947 138 0 138
1946 122 0 122
1945 142 0 142
1944 154 0 154
1943 160 0 160
1942 173 0 173
1941 166 0 166
1940 186 0 186
1939 168 0 168
1938 195 0 195
1937 178 0 178
1936 202 0 202
1935 210 0 210
1934 221 5 216
1933 242 0 242
1932 245 0 245
1931 268 0 268
1930 305 0 305
1929 302 0 302
1928 345 0 345
1927 371 5 366
1926 344 0 344
1925 362 0 362
1924 409 0 409
1923 418 0 418
1922 418 0 418
1921 407 0 407
1920 386 0 386
1919 368 0 368
1918 388 0 388
1917 330 0 330
1916 373 0 373
1915 343 0 343
1914 252 0 252
1913 212 0 212
1912 245 0 245
1911 130 0 130
1910 154 0 154
1909 109 0 109
1908 102 0 102
1907 104 0 104
1906 82 0 82
1905 134 0 134
1904 105 0 105
1903 95 0 95
1902 99 0 99
1901 89 0 89
1900 126 0 126
1899 115 0 115
1898 92 0 92
1897 113 0 113
1896 100 0 100
1895 101 0 101
1894 108 0 108
1893 83 0 83
1892 98 0 98
1891 73 0 73
1890 96 0 96
1889 84 0 84
1888 102 0 102
1887 59 0 59
1886 75 0 75
1885 88 0 88
1884 60 0 60
1883 62 0 62
1882 63 0 63
1881 46 0 46
1880 41 0 41

Top States for Lily (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
CA 709
12%
TX 605
10%
FL 367
6%
NY 336
6%
PA 251
4%
NC 203
3%
GA 200
3%
IL 183
3%
OH 180
3%
NJ 178
3%
TN 172
3%
VA 157
3%
MI 156
3%
MA 147
2%
AZ 142
2%
WA 137
2%
CO 132
2%
MN 120
2%
IN 119
2%
UT 113
2%
WI 108
2%
MO 107
2%
AL 96
2%
KY 95
2%
SC 91
1%
MD 90
1%
LA 81
1%
OK 73
1%
AR 72
1%
IA 68
1%
CT 66
1%
OR 61
1%
KS 49
1%
NV 47
1%
ID 42
1%
NE 34
1%
HI 33
1%
MS 29
0%
ME 28
0%
NH 27
0%
NM 26
0%
WV 26
0%
RI 21
0%
MT 20
0%
SD 20
0%
ND 18
0%
AK 15
0%
DE 14
0%
VT 13
0%
DC 10
0%
WY 6
0%