Lillian

At a Glance

Meaning

Lily flower

Origin

Latin

Gender

Girl

Pronunciation

LIL-ee-uhnListen

Lillian is a classic girl's name rooted in Latin, pronounced LIL-ee-uhn, and its meaning is straightforward: lily flower. You may hear it said to symbolize purity and innocence, but that's just a symbolic association with the flower itself, not the actual word history — the name simply means lily flower, possibly by way of a pet form of Elizabeth. It fits both an outdoorsy, nature-inspired feel and a timeless, classic one.

Meaning & Origin of Lillian

Meaning: Lily flower.

Origin: Latin.

A common claim: Lillian is often said to symbolize 'purity and innocence,' echoing the lily flower. Actually: That's a symbolic association with the flower, not part of the literal etymology — Lillian's meaning is simply 'lily flower' (from Latin lilium), possibly via a pet form of Elizabeth.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Lillian

Popularity of Lillian

Lillian sat at #54 in 2024 with 3,882 babies given the name, well below its peak of #10 back in 1898, when 3,061 girls were named Lillian — SSA records for the name run from 1880 to 2024.

Names Like Lillian

These names share Lillian’s style, era or origin.

• Ava
• Liliana
• Magnolia
• Poppy
• Rosalie
• Stella

FAQ

What does the name Lillian mean?

Lily flower. (Source: Wiktionary)

How do you pronounce Lillian?

Lillian is pronounced LIL-ee-uhn (IPA: /ˈlɪliən/).

Is Lillian a popular name right now?

Lillian peaked at #10 in 1898 and is ranked #54 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

Make Lillian Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Lillian, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.