Holding steady.
Popularity of Hillard since 1880
Babies named Hillard per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1926, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Hillard's real moment was 1906.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 26 |
| 1890s | 51 |
| 1900s | 69 |
| 1910s | 374 |
| 1920s | 669 |
| 1930s | 391 |
| 1940s | 301 |
| 1950s | 217 |
| 1960s | 127 |
| 1970s | 90 |
| 1980s | 24 |
| 1990s | 6 |
| 2000s | 11 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Hillard is a rare masculine name of English origin that saw modest use in the early 20th century. It peaked in 1906, its highest-ranked year, though it never entered the top 1000. The name's trajectory has been stable but very low, with fewer than 5 births annually in recent years. It is a variant of Hilliard, a surname that may derive from Old English 'hyllweard' meaning 'guardian of the hill', or from the Old German 'hildweard' meaning 'brave in battle'. As a given name, it fits alongside other turn-of-the-century choices like Elmer and Chester. Despite its obscurity, Hillard offers a vintage sound that some parents may find appealing for its rarity and straightforward pronunciation.
Hillard is a variant of the surname Hilliard, which itself derives from the Old English elements 'hyll' (hill) and 'weard' (guard), meaning 'guardian of the hill'. Alternatively, it may be related to the Germanic name Hildweard, where 'hild' means battle and 'weard' means guard, thus 'brave in battle'. The name was used as a given name primarily in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States, but never achieved widespread popularity.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hill, Hilly
Variants: Hilliard, Hillyard
Sibling names for Hillard
Names that share Hillard's style, for a brother or sister.
