Pregnancy Lily Name Meaning Lily is frequently used as a girl name. Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Lily. By Sarah Bradley Published on May 2, 2024 Fact checked by Sarah Scott In This Article View All In This Article How Popular Is the Name Lily? Name Variations Similar Names Common Nicknames for Lily Suggested Sibling Names for Lily Famous People Named Lily Trending Videos Close this video player Lily is an English name used in reference to the popular white, showy flower. It signifies purity and innocence. Although it isn’t derived directly from the Bible, it does have Biblical connections: Lilies are often used to represent the Virgin Mary’s purity, and St. Joseph is frequently pictured holding lilies to represent his relationship with Jesus’ mother. Read on to learn about the name Lily, its popularity, variations, and famous people with the name. Origin: The name Lily comes from the Latin word for the lily flower, “lilium.” Gender: Lily is traditionally used as a girl name. Pronunciation: LIL-ee Editor's Note Although baby names are often separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best. How Popular Is the Name Lily? Lily has been holding steady in the top 50 baby names in the US for more than 15 years. Per the Social Security Administration, its peak popularity came in 2011, when it ranked 15th (alongside other classic favorites like Natalie and Grace). In the 2022 rankings, it stands at 30. Before 2000, though, it wasn’t an especially popular name. In the early 1970s, it barely cracked the top 1,000. It started making leaps and bounds through the following decades, advancing into the top 500 by 1992. In the early 2000s, as name trends became more focused on the natural world (think River, Jade, and Autumn), Lily became an obvious choice. The name is likely to grow in popularity even more after the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter on June 4, 2021. Lilibet Diana, who is eighth in line to the English throne, is called Lili. Charlotte, the name of Lili's cousin Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, rose in the ranks from number 9 in 2015 (the year the princess was born) to number 3 in 2022. Name Variations There are many adaptations of the name Lily, as well as many translations of the name in several other languages. Lili Lilian Liliana Lilith Lillian Lillie Lilly Lilie (German) Lilia (Polish) Lilja (Finnish) 50 Mythological Names for Your New Baby Similar Names Other girl names that start with L: LauraLaurenLeahLilaLindsayLisbethLolaLorelaiLouiseLucyLuluLydia Other girl names representing flowers: CamelliaDaisyFloraHeatherIvyIrisJasmineMagnoliaMarigoldPoppyRoseViolet Common Nicknames for Lily Lily doesn't usually need a cute nickname as it's already short and sweet. However, it may be shortened to Lil, Leelee, or L. Suggested Sibling Names for Lily If you're looking for sibling names to go with Lily, try one of these: AvaCharlieDanielEmmaGraceHankJacobJakeJenniferLukeMatthew MichaelNathanSarah Famous People Named Lily Considering how simply sweet the name Lily is, it’s no surprise that there are several famous people with the moniker. It is a little surprising how many of them are actors or, in some cases, well-loved fictional characters. Famous Lilys: Lili (Lilibet) Mountbatten-Windsor, daughter of Prince Harry and Meghan MarkleLily Tomlin, American actorLily Allen, British singerLily Bart, fictional character in Edith Wharton’s The House of MirthLily James, British actorLily Tucker-Pritchett, fictional character on the American TV series Modern FamilyLily Collins, British-American actor and daughter of singer Phil CollinsLily Rabe, American actorLily Aldrin, fictional character on the American TV series How I Met Your Mother More Baby Names Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: 300 Popular Baby Names Ending in A, N, and Y 50 Nature Baby Names and Meanings Top 1,000 Baby Girl Names in the US Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Academic Symbols. University of St. Joseph. 2024. Popularity of a name. Social Security Administration. 2022.