Lily
Lily is one of the most popular baby names in the UK, ranked #2 in 2025. With 2,249 babies given this name, your child will likely be the only Lily in their class — but in a school of 600, expect around ~1.1 others.
English — The lily flower; purity and beauty
About the Name Lily
Lily is at its highest recorded position in the UK, #2 in 2025 — the strongest showing it has had. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 30 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 — a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.
In terms of origin, Lily is rooted in English, where it means "The lily flower; purity and beauty". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Lily is one of the most popular names in the UK — yet even so, another Lily turns up in only about 1 class in 8.
In the US it sits at #24 — notably more popular in the UK than across the Atlantic.
⭐ Famous People Named Lily
- Lily Aldridge — Lily Maud Aldridge is an American model.
- Lily Elsie — Elsie Cotton, known professionally as Lily Elsie, was an English actress and singer during the Edwardian era.
- Lily Hanson — Lily Jo Hanson (born Joe Hanson) is a writer and comedian living in Los Angeles and is best known for her work on Current TV, Smash Cuts, and Joe Goes.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Lily
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Lily
Around 1 class in 8 has another Lily
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Lily
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia