Fun Facts About the Name Lilley
- 436 babies named Lilley: U.S. records list 436 babies given the name Lilley from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Lilley Mean?
Lilley is an English given name, usually feminine. Its most common point of origin is the flower name Lily, spelled with a different ending. Lily comes from Latin lilium, which in turn comes from Greek leirion, the word for the lily flower. The literal meaning is therefore the flower itself; the name has no separate abstract meaning in its earliest form.
A second, independent origin is the English surname Lilley, which is habitational and comes from the village of Lilley in Hertfordshire. That place name is generally explained as Old English Lillinglēah, formed from a personal name Lilla, the suffix -ing-, and lēah 'woodland clearing.' Its sense would be 'the woodland clearing of Lilla's people' or 'Lilla's clearing.' The first element is not certain, but it is not the same word as the flower name.
Lilley Name History & Origins
The flower name Lily was in occasional use in England before the 19th century. It became more familiar in the 1800s, when flower names such as Rose, Violet, and Daisy were widely used. The spelling Lillie was common in the 19th century, and Lilley appears as a less frequent variant of the same name. In Christian art the lily was a symbol of purity and was associated with the Virgin Mary, a connection that may have supported the name's use, but the name itself is simply the flower word.
The surname Lilley has a separate history. It comes from the Hertfordshire village, and medieval bearers of the surname would have been identified as coming from that place, often with the Latin preposition de ('of'). The surname is found in English records from the Middle Ages onward. When Lilley is used as a given name today, it can represent either the flower-name tradition or a transferred use of the surname; the two histories overlap in modern spelling but have different roots.
How Popular is the Name Lilley?
Lilley 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 2008. Its best rank was #4,599 in 2008.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #14,206 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #16,585 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #10,100 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #8,750 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #7,419 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #6,584 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2018 | #7,596 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2017 | #6,426 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2016 | #7,826 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #7,835 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2014 | #7,178 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2013 | #5,587 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2012 | #6,488 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2011 | #4,875 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2010 | #5,895 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2009 | #5,170 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2008 | #4,599 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2007 | #5,321 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2006 | #7,024 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2005 | #8,149 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #6,962 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2003 | #7,826 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2002 | #9,213 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2001 | #14,589 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #8,922 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #9,983 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1919 | #5,218 | 5 | 0.0004% |
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.
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How the Name Lilley Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Lilley's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lilley's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.