Holding steady.
Popularity of Hillery since 1887
Babies named Hillery per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Hillery's real moment was 1887.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 0 | 5 |
| 1890s | 0 | 5 |
| 1900s | 0 | 5 |
| 1910s | 0 | 82 |
| 1920s | 0 | 107 |
| 1930s | 0 | 97 |
| 1940s | 5 | 64 |
| 1950s | 0 | 73 |
| 1960s | 16 | 41 |
| 1970s | 171 | 17 |
| 1980s | 210 | 5 |
| 1990s | 93 | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Hillery is a rare variant of the name Hillary, which itself comes from the Latin Hilarius meaning 'cheerful'. The spelling Hillery first appeared in U.S. records in 1887, its peak year, with only a handful of occurrences since. It has never ranked in the top 1,000 names and remains extremely uncommon. The name shows a stable trajectory over time, with no significant revival in any decade. Unlike the more familiar Hillary, which saw a surge in the 1990s, Hillery has stayed consistently obscure. Its top states are none, meaning it has not been concentrated in any particular region. For those seeking a unique spelling of a classic name, Hillery offers an alternative that is both rare and historically grounded.
Hillery is likely a variant spelling of Hillary, which derives from the Latin name Hilarius (from hilaris 'cheerful') and the feminine Hilaria. The name was used in medieval England, originally for both men and women. The spelling Hillery emerged as a less common variant, possibly influenced by surnames.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hill, Hil
Sibling names for Hillery
Names that share Hillery's style, for a brother or sister.
