Lillian: meaning and origin
Lillian
“Lily; a symbol of innocence”
About the name Lillian
Lillian is a girl’s name from the English tradition. Its meaning is “lily; a symbol of innocence”. Names from Old English and English words and surnames — like Harper, Hudson, Willow and Wyatt.
It’s a classic: a name that has been used for generations and still feels fresh.
More names with a similar meaning: nature names.
Tips before you choose
- Say the full name out loud with your last name, and with any middle name.
- Check the initials — and what they spell.
- Think about nicknames kids might make from it.
- Write it down: is the spelling easy for teachers and friends?
More English names
- Arden 🧒Valley of the eagle · English
- Ash 🧒The ash tree · English
- Audrey 👧Noble strength · English
- Autumn 👧The fall season · English
- Avery 🧒Ruler of the elves · English
- Blake 🧒Pale, or dark · English
- Brooklyn 👧Broken land, stream; the New York borough · English
- Daisy 👧Day’s eye; the daisy flower · English
- Dakota 👧Friend, ally; from the Dakota people and the US states · English
- Ellie 👧Light; a short form of Eleanor and Ellen · English
- Ember 👧A glowing piece of coal · English
- Evelyn 👧Wished-for child; from an old surname · English
Sibling name ideas (English, boys)
- Archer 👦Bowman · English
- Brooks 👦Of the brook, small stream · English
- Carter 👦Cart driver · English
- Colton 👦Coal town · English
- Cooper 👦Barrel maker · English
- Easton 👦East-facing place · English
- Edward 👦Wealthy guardian · English
- Forest 👦Woods, woodland · English
More girl names starting with L
- Layla 👧Night (Hebrew laila) · Hebrew
- Leah 👧Weary; in the Bible, the wife of Jacob · Hebrew
- Leilani 👧Heavenly flowers · Hawaiian
- Lila 👧Play; also linked to the lilac flower · Sanskrit / Indian
- Lily 👧The lily flower, a symbol of purity · English
- Linnea 👧The twinflower, Sweden’s national flower · Scandinavian
- Lucia 👧Light · Latin
- Lucy 👧Light · Latin
- Luna 👧The Moon · Latin
- Luz 👧Light · Spanish
Questions and answers
What does the name Lillian mean?
Lillian is a name of English origin. It means: lily; a symbol of innocence.
Is Lillian a boy or girl name?
Lillian is usually given to girls.
How many syllables does Lillian have?
Lillian has 7 letters and about 2 syllables.
Is Lillian a popular name?
Yes. Lillian has been near the top of US baby-name lists in recent years. Names marked “popular now” have been near the top of US baby-name lists in recent years. This is an approximate guide, not an official ranking; see the Social Security Administration’s baby names site for official counts.