Lillian
Lillian, also spelled Lilian, Lilliann, or Lilliane, is a female given name. Its origin is the Latin word Lilium (lily).
- English
Meaning & Origin of Lillian
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
The Story of Lillian
American parents first put Lillian on the record books as a baby girl name in 1880, with 672 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 10,049 Lillians were born — ranking #18 that year. As of 2026, Lillian ranks #58 for baby girls with 3,731 births, falling sharply (-24%). All told, over 479K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Lillian
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Lillian. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Lillian
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 Lillian
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lillian 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 Lillian
What does the name Lillian mean?
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How popular is Lillian in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Lillian most popular?
Is Lillian a unisex name?
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About the name Lillian
Lillian is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 479K births in the dataset. Lillian's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #10. Use the chart and map above to compare Lillian's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- 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.