Lillian
Girl name · #57 in 2025 · Uniqueness 44/100
Lillian ranks #57 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 3,966 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #26, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 454 girls born in 2025 was named Lillian.
Babies named Lillian per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Lillian first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 672 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 10,049 girls were named Lillian — good for #18 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lillian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lillian in class?
Lillian scores 44 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Lillian is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lillian is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Lillians were TX (309), OH (202), CA (200), NC (191), FL (190). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Lillian
Statistically, parents drawn to Lillian tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Vivian, Clara, Ruby, Josephine, and Alice.
VivianClaraRubyJosephineAliceLucilleMadelynEsther
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lillian | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,966 | #57 |
| 2024 | 3,893 | #54 |
| 2023 | 3,940 | #55 |
| 2022 | 4,260 | #50 |
| 2021 | 4,328 | #51 |
| 2020 | 4,515 | #46 |
| 2019 | 5,127 | #37 |
| 2018 | 5,567 | #34 |
| 2017 | 6,181 | #27 |
| 2016 | 6,386 | #28 |
| 2015 | 6,628 | #26 |
| 2014 | 6,924 | #25 |
| 2013 | 7,085 | #26 |
| 2012 | 7,171 | #25 |
| 2011 | 6,934 | #22 |
| 2010 | 6,957 | #22 |
| 2009 | 6,861 | #27 |
| 2008 | 6,817 | #29 |
| 2007 | 6,552 | #33 |
| 2006 | 6,236 | #38 |
| 2005 | 5,215 | #50 |
| 2004 | 4,734 | #65 |
| 2003 | 4,030 | #76 |
| 2002 | 3,397 | #96 |
| 2001 | 2,951 | #111 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lillian a popular girl name?
Lillian ranked #57 among girls in 2025 with 3,966 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #26.
When was the name Lillian most popular?
Lillian peaked in 1920, when 10,049 American girls received the name (ranked #18 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lillian?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 454 newborn American girls was named Lillian. It scores 44/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.