Hilary

About Hilary

Hilary means “cheerful,” from the Latin and Greek name family behind Hilarius and Hilaria. Used for both men and women, it has a history stretching from early Christian scholarship to modern literature and film. The single-l spelling is particularly associated with writer Hilary Mantel and actor Hilary Swank.

An old name with a changing history

Latin hilaris means “cheerful” and comes from Greek hilaros, with the same meaning. Hilarius was the masculine name and Hilaria its feminine counterpart. Hilary became an English form during the Middle Ages, when it was used chiefly for men.

The fourth-century bishop and theologian Hilary of Poitiers is an important early namesake. His Latin name appears as Hilarius, linking the English spelling to a long Christian naming tradition. The name also continues as a masculine form in Polish.

In Britain, Hilary was revived around the beginning of the twentieth century with predominantly feminine use. Hillary is a spelling variant, while French Hilaire and Italian Ilaria and Ilario belong to the wider family. These forms preserve the same cheerful root with different endings.

Hilary Mantel and historical fiction

Hilary Mantel won the Booker Prize for Wolf Hall in 2009 and for Bring Up the Bodies in 2012. The novels follow Thomas Cromwell through the court of Henry VIII, turning political maneuvering, religious change, and family ambition into closely observed fiction.

The two awards were for separate novels in the same historical sequence. Mantel’s treatment of Cromwell brought an early Tudor statesman into the center of contemporary literary conversation. Her name gives Hilary a strong association with historical imagination and carefully shaped prose.

A film connection

Hilary Swank won the Academy Award for Actress in a Leading Role at the 2000 ceremony for Boys Don’t Cry. She won the same category again at the 2005 ceremony for Million Dollar Baby.

The two performances made Swank a particularly recognizable modern bearer of the single-l spelling.

Pronunciation and related forms

In English, Hilary is pronounced HIL-uh-ree, with the stress on the first syllable. Its three syllables move from a crisp opening to a light final vowel. Hillary usually has the same pronunciation; the extra l changes the appearance more than the sound.

Hilaria and Ilaria retain a longer, more openly vowel-led rhythm. Hilaire offers the French form, while Hilarius preserves the older Latin masculine ending. Hilary itself can be a complete name for either sex.

American popularity

Hilary’s highest American female count and ranking came in 1990: 1,217 girls received the name, placing it at number 232. The spelling then became much less common. There were 87 girls named Hilary in 2000, 80 in 2010, and 24 in 2025.

Older American records also include boys named Hilary. The female twentieth-century peak is therefore one chapter in the history of a name whose masculine tradition is much older.

How popular is Hilary?

In 2025, Hilary ranked #5,300 among girls in the United States, with 24 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for girls in 1914; its largest annual count was 1,217 in 1990. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.