Lilly
Girl name · #252 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Lilly? In official American birth records, Lilly has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Lilly is currently the #252 girl name in the United States — 1,218 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #139, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,478 girls born in 2025 was named Lilly.
The 145-year story
Lilly first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 64 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2010, when 2,891 girls were named Lilly — good for #106 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Lilly per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lilly against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lilly in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lilly is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Lilly is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lilly is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Lilly is most common in WV (2.4 per 1,000), MS (1.8 per 1,000), SC (1.6 per 1,000), KY (1.6 per 1,000), OK (1.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.9 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Lilly is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Lilly
Lilly belongs to the Lillian family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Lillian family went to about 11,857 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #6, versus #252 for Lilly alone.
Names like Lilly
Statistically, parents drawn to Lilly tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Leila, Emely, Laila, Lila, and Marley.
LeilaEmelyLailaLilaMarleyLaneyAliyahAubrey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lilly | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,218 | #252 |
| 2024 | 1,221 | #261 |
| 2023 | 1,202 | #257 |
| 2022 | 1,315 | #230 |
| 2021 | 1,356 | #218 |
| 2020 | 1,289 | #229 |
| 2019 | 1,553 | #190 |
| 2018 | 1,788 | #160 |
| 2017 | 1,932 | #152 |
| 2016 | 2,172 | #143 |
| 2015 | 2,325 | #139 |
| 2014 | 2,582 | #124 |
| 2013 | 2,620 | #122 |
| 2012 | 2,791 | #110 |
| 2011 | 2,873 | #103 |
| 2010 | 2,891 | #106 |
| 2009 | 2,833 | #116 |
| 2008 | 2,694 | #125 |
| 2007 | 2,402 | #146 |
| 2006 | 2,279 | #150 |
| 2005 | 1,907 | #180 |
| 2004 | 1,616 | #210 |
| 2003 | 1,188 | #265 |
| 2002 | 911 | #333 |
| 2001 | 782 | #380 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Lilly?
In official American birth records, the name Lilly first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 64 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Lilly a popular girl name?
Lilly ranked #252 among girls in 2025 with 1,218 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #139.
When was the name Lilly most popular?
Lilly peaked in 2010, when 2,891 American girls received the name (ranked #106 that year). Since 2010 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lilly?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,478 newborn American girls was named Lilly. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.