Lilian
Lillian, also spelled Lilian, Lilliann, or Lilliane, is a female given name. Its origin is the Latin word Lilium (lily).
- English
- French
- Romanian
- Portuguese
Meaning & Origin of Lilian
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lillian, also spelled Lilian, Lilliann, or Lilliane, is a female given name. Its origin is the Latin word Lilium (lily).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- French
- Romanian
- Portuguese
The Story of Lilian
The earliest SSA record of Lilian as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 19 babies received it. 2007 was its biggest year on record, with 786 newborns named Lilian — #416 in the national rankings. About 28% of every Lilian on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Lilian ranks #532 for baby girls with 577 births, gradually rising (+14%). All told, over 21K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Lilian
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Lilian. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Lilian
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Princess Lilian of Belgium (1916–2002), wife of King Leopold III of Belgium
- Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland (1915–2013), wife of Prince Bertil , Duke of Halland of Sweden
- Lillian Aber , Ugandan politician
- Lillian Albertson (1881–1962), American actress and theatrical producer
- Lillian B. Allen (1904–1994), Canadian painter
- Lillian Allen (born 1951), Canadian dub poet, musician, and writer
- Lillian Alling (1896–after 1929), American woman who attempted to return to Eastern Europe on foot
- Lillian Bassman (1917–2012), American photographer and painter
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Lilian
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lilian 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 Lilian
What does the name Lilian mean?
What is the origin of the name Lilian?
How popular is Lilian in 2026?
When was Lilian most popular?
In which U.S. states is Lilian most popular?
Is Lilian a unisex name?
What names go well with Lilian?
What are nicknames or variants of Lilian?
About the name Lilian
Lilian is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 21K births in the dataset. Lilian's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #360. Use the chart and map above to compare Lilian's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.