Lilly

About Lilly

Lilly is an English spelling of Lily, the flower name, and also a Scandinavian familiar form of Elisabeth. Its two histories give the same short spelling different points of reference. The name is associated with the colorful clothing of Lilly Pulitzer and the comedy and television work of Lilly Singh.

The flower name

English Lilly belongs to the same family as Lily and Lillie. The flower word ultimately comes from Latin lilium, giving the name a direct botanical origin.

The double l changes the written outline without adding a syllable. English Lilly is LIL-ee, with stress on the first syllable and the same sound as Lily. Its repeated l gives the short name a flowing quality even though the rhythm is compact.

Lilian and Lillian belong to the broader group of related names. Some uses developed through flower naming and others through familiar forms, so the family has more than one historical path.

The Elisabeth connection

In Scandinavian use, Lilly can also be a short form of Elisabeth. That longer name belongs to the Hebrew Elisheva family, meaning my God is an oath.

This route is separate from choosing the name directly for the flower. Lilly can therefore carry either a botanical association or a connection with a traditional longer name, depending on the naming history.

Lilli is another close spelling in the same familiar-name world. Lilly itself is already short, so it can serve as an everyday form without needing another layer of abbreviation.

Lilly Pulitzer's colorful clothing

Lilly Pulitzer's fashion business grew from a juice stand in Palm Beach, Florida. The brand dates its beginning to 1959 and connects its early clothing with the simple shift dress.

The move from citrus sales to clothing created a particularly vivid association for the name: strong color, patterned fabric, and a relaxed resort setting. The shift's straight shape made the prints especially visible.

Pulitzer's name became the business's public identity as well as the name of its founder. For many people, Lilly consequently calls up a recognizable style of clothing alongside the flower that usually explains the given name.

Lilly Singh on late-night television

Canadian comedian Lilly Singh began hosting A Little Late with Lilly Singh on NBC in September 2019. The program followed Last Call with Carson Daly in the network's late-night schedule.

The show's title placed her given name directly in its public identity. That gives Lilly a television association centered on a real performer and host, separate from its use as a flower name or a fashion label.

American popularity

Lilly's strongest United States girls' ranking was #103 in 2011. Its largest annual count came a year earlier, with 2,891 births in 2010.

The name rose from 659 girls in 2000 before easing from its peak. In 2025 it ranked #252 with 1,218 girls, remaining substantially used despite the decline from its strongest years.

How popular is Lilly?

In 2025, Lilly ranked #252 among girls in the United States, with 1,218 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for girls in 1880; its largest annual count was 2,891 in 2010. 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.