The story behind Lily
A 19th-century flower name, from lily. Also a diminutive of Lilian and sometimes Elizabeth.
Other language forms and explanations (1)
Tagalog entry
Borrowed from English Lily, from lily.
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /ˈlɪli/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: /ˈlili/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: [ˈliː.lɪ]
Popularity
Lily ranked #18 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Lily
Larry
Unadapted borrowing from English Larry.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Lucy
From Middle English Lucy, from Old French Lucie (notably after the Christian martyr Lucia of Syracuse), from Latin Lucia (feminine of Lucius, a Roman praenomen), from lux…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Gary
Medieval short form of Germanic compound names beginning with gari or geri ("spear"), such as Gerard, Garrett, Gerald, or Gerbert. Cognate with the Scottish and Irish name…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Ivy
From ivy, the name of a plant. An ivy branch used to be hung outside an establishment to advertise that it sold alcohol, so it may originally been an occupationational surname…
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
July
From Middle English Julie, julye, iulius, from Anglo-Norman julie, from Old French jule, juil, from Latin iūlius (Gaius Julius Caesar's month), perhaps a contraction of…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Mary
From Middle English Marie, from Old French Marie, from Latin Maria, from Ancient Greek Μαρία (María), Μαριάμ (Mariám), from Aramaic מַרְיָם (maryām) or Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Lily
Ann
From Late Latin Anna chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate in reference to Anna the Prophetess, from Koine…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends N
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Ian
Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic Eòin. Unadapted borrowing from English Ian. Doublet of João, Ivan, Jean, Ruan, and Geovane. Borrowed from English Ian, from Scottish Gaelic…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Joy
From the noun joy, first used by Puritans in the 17th century. Borrowed from English Joy.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends Y
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Lily
Alan
From Old Breton Alan, name of early Breton saints, of disputed origin and meaning; brought to England by Normans. It may have been the name of a Celtic deity, the brother of…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Alma
Usually explained as Latin alma (“nourishing, kind”). It has also been used as a short form of Germanic compound names beginning with the element Amal-, as in Amelia. From…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Ann
From Late Latin Anna chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate in reference to Anna the Prophetess, from Koine…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends N
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection