Lilly
Lilly was the 252nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,218 babies. Its best year was 2011, when it ranked 103rd; the most babies were born in 2010 (2,891). Over the last ten years it has moved down 113 places. More babies were named Lilly in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Lily) the lily flower · English
- Rank in 2025
- #252 girls, down 23 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,218girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20102,891 babies
- Total since 1880
- 66,752babies recorded
What does the name Lilly mean?
Lilly is a spelling of Lily, pronounced the same way, so it shares Lily's meaning and origin.
Lily is the flower name. It became an English given name in the 19th century, part of a fashion for flower names. Wiktionary and Wikipedia both note that it also serves as a pet form of Lilian, and sometimes of Elizabeth. In Christian art the lily is a symbol of purity.
lily (English, “lily (flower)”)
How sure is this? Well established.
See also: English names, names that mean flower.
Lilly popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 24 since 2004.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #252 | 1,218 |
| 2020 | #229 | 1,289 |
| 2010 | #106 | 2,891 |
| 2000 | #428 | 659 |
| 1990 | #1,451 | 108 |
| 1980 | #1,856 | 59 |
| 1970 | #1,397 | 75 |
| 1960 | #900 | 137 |
| 1950 | #729 | 138 |
| 1940 | #530 | 167 |
| 1930 | #426 | 243 |
| 1920 | #376 | 309 |
| 1910 | #352 | 129 |
| 1900 | #264 | 154 |
| 1890 | #240 | 104 |
| 1880 | #192 | 64 |
How popular is Lilly, counting every spelling?
Lilly is a spelling of Lily, a name family that ranked #13 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #252 for Lilly on its own. Together these spellings went to 8,464 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lily | 6,673 | #18 | 30,614 |
| Lilly | 1,218 | #252 | 6,312 |
| Lillie | 420 | #676 | 1,992 |
| Lili | 61 | #2,800 | 309 |
| Lilli | 37 | #3,953 | 192 |
| Lillee | 15 | #7,348 | 111 |
| Lilee | 17 | #6,713 | 94 |
| Lilie | 12 | #8,648 | 56 |
| Lilley | 6 | #14,206 | 33 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Lilly?
1,218 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Lilly (0.34 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Lilly born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 7 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Lilly.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Lilly?
About 55,000 people born in the US named Lilly are alive today, with a median age of 15; half are between 10 and 21. That makes Lilly mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Lilly by state
How common Lilly was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in West Virginia (3.1×), Montana (3.0×), North Dakota (2.5×), Kentucky (2.4×), South Dakota (2.3×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Delaware, California, New Jersey.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Lilly: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Lilly, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Lilly
What does Lilly mean?
Lilly is a spelling of Lily, which means “the lily flower” (English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Lilly?
Lilly was the 252nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,218 babies. Its best year was 2011, when it ranked 103rd; the most babies were born in 2010 (2,891). Over the last ten years it has moved down 113 places. More babies were named Lilly in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Lilly a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Lilly in the US.
Where is Lilly most popular?
In 2021–2025, Lilly was most common in West Virginia (2.40 per 1,000 girls), followed by Montana and North Dakota.