Fun Facts About the Name Illinois
- 16 babies named Illinois: U.S. records list 16 babies given the name Illinois from 1880 through 2025. Even 5 boys received the name Illinois - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.
What Does the Name Illinois Mean?
Illinois is an Algonquian name, recorded in French spelling, that means roughly "those who speak normally" or "ordinary speakers." It comes from a Miami-Illinois word reconstructed as ilenweewa, "he speaks in the ordinary way," with a plural form used for the people themselves. The name is an ethnonym: it named the Illinois Confederacy, a group of Algonquian-speaking peoples, rather than an individual. A widely repeated but less well supported explanation derives the name from ilini, "man," giving illiniwek, "men," and the popular gloss "tribe of superior men." That reading is a customary interpretation rather than a literal translation, and the exact derivation remains disputed.
Illinois Name History & Origins
The name reached English through French. French explorers and missionaries in the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley wrote down Algonquian words for the peoples they met in the seventeenth century. Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet traveled through the region in 1673, and the French came to apply the name to the people, to the river, and to the surrounding territory, which they called the Pays des Illinois, or Illinois Country. French spelling varied before "Illinois" became the standard form.
From the people, the name passed to the Illinois River, then to the land itself. The United States organized the Illinois Territory in 1809, and Illinois was admitted as a state in 1818. Related forms such as Illini and Illiniwek were later revived for the same peoples and adopted by institutions in the region.
How Popular is the Name Illinois?
Illinois has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1920. Its best rank was #4,531 in 1923.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | #4,630 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #5,159 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | #4,531 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with I
How the Name Illinois Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Illinois's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Illinois's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.