Mostly girls · English flower name

Lily

“lily”

Say it LIL-eePronunciation may vary by region.

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A little maybe, saved for later.

The story behind the name

Meet Lily.

Lily comes directly from the English flower name. The word traces back through Latin lilium, and the flower has long been associated with purity. That symbolism is an association with the flower rather than a separate literal translation of the name.

Lily is complete on its own, although families also use it as a short form of Lillian. Its brief spelling and two-syllable sound distinguish it from that more formal alternative.

A little perspective

How popular is Lily?

United States · 2025
Girls · 2025#186,673 recorded births

Recorded US births over time

201420256,7890
● Girls● Boys
View the numbers behind the chart
YearCategoryUS rankBirths
2025Girls186,673
2024Girls246,121
2023Girls206,176
2022Girls306,012
2021Girls315,632
2020Boys13,2935
2020Girls355,258
2019Girls345,461
2018Girls315,753
2017Girls335,862
2016Girls246,610
2015Boys10,2057
2015Girls256,683
2014Boys10,3057
2014Girls276,789

Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.

A few ways to make it theirs.

Nicknames

Lil

Variations & related forms

LillyLili

Keep the possibilities coming

If you love Lily…

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