Hilary
Hilary, Hilarie or Hillary is a given name and surname, derived from the Latin hilarius meaning "cheerful", from hilaris, "cheerful, merry", which comes from the Greek ἱλαρός (hilaros), "cheerful, merry", which in turn comes from ἵλαος (hilaos), "propitious, gracious". Ilaria is the popular Italian feminine form, while Ilario is the Italian masculine one.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Hilary
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Hilary, Hilarie or Hillary is a given name and surname, derived from the Latin hilarius meaning "cheerful", from hilaris, "cheerful, merry", which comes from the Greek ἱλαρός (hilaros), "cheerful, merry", which in turn comes from ἵλαος (hilaos), "propitious, gracious". Ilaria is the popular Italian feminine form, while Ilario is the Italian masculine one.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Hilary
As a girl name
Hilary first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1914, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1990: 1,217 births, good for #232 nationwide. About 34% of every Hilary on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Hilary ranks #3,146 for girls with 51 births, rising sharply (+139% over the past five years). All told, over 24K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Hilary as a boy name dates back to 1882, when 7 babies received it. 1924 was its biggest year on record, with 53 newborns named Hilary — #960 in the national rankings. Hilary last appeared in the published SSA data in 2018, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Hilary
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Hilary. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Hilary
Phonetically similar names — useful when Hilary is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hilary
What does the name Hilary mean?
What is the origin of the name Hilary?
How popular is Hilary in 2026?
When was Hilary most popular?
In which U.S. states is Hilary most popular?
Is Hilary a unisex name?
What names go well with Hilary?
What are nicknames or variants of Hilary?
About the name Hilary
Hilary is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1914 and has accumulated 24K births in the dataset. Hilary's peak popularity came in 1990 when it ranked #232. Use the chart and map above to compare Hilary's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1990 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.