Sibling names for Lillian
Names that sound like they belong in the same family as Lillian usually share its era. These sister and brother names rose and fell on a similar curve to Lillian, whose busiest decade was the 1920s, and are about as common, so neither child's name will feel dated or unusual next to the other.
Sister names for Lillian
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estelle | star | #573 | 2,168 | 1910s |
| Elsie | pet form of Elizabeth (via Elspeth) | #123 | 8,811 | 1920s |
| Alma | nourishing, kind | #449 | 3,285 | 1920s |
| Eva | life, living (form of Eve) | #134 | 12,288 | 1920s |
| Josephine | feminine of Joseph: God will add | #53 | 17,919 | 1920s |
| Mabel | lovable | #201 | 5,896 | 1910s |
| Edith | wealth + war | #499 | 3,028 | 1920s |
| Esther | #119 | 10,458 | 1920s | |
| Florence | flourishing, blooming | #391 | 2,973 | 1920s |
Brother names for Lillian
Lillian's era
Lillian ranked #57 for girls in 2025, against #26 in 2015. Its best year was 1898, at #10. A sibling name from the same wave will sound like it was chosen by the same parents; a name from an older or newer wave can make one child's name feel dated next to the other's.
Timeless names that go with any sibling
These names have been used steadily for a hundred years, so they sit comfortably next to a name from any era, Lillian included.
Girls: Elizabeth, Maria, Cecilia, Julia, Miriam, Nina. Boys: Samuel, Anthony, Wesley, Vincent, Calvin, Victor.
Same era, but close to Lillian
These names follow Lillian's curve too, but we left them out above because they share a first letter or an ending with Lillian. Some parents like that echo; if you do, start here.
How these were chosen
Each suggestion's share of US babies has followed a curve close to Lillian's since 1880, and its recent number of babies is within about twelve times Lillian's, so the names are in the same league. Names starting with the same letter as Lillian or with the same ending are left out, so the names go together without matching. Spellings of Lillian itself are excluded.