Declining since 2007, #3,903 for girls today.
Popularity of Lilli since 1912
Babies named Lilli per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 |
| 1920s | 6 |
| 1930s | 23 |
| 1940s | 70 |
| 1950s | 231 |
| 1960s | 172 |
| 1970s | 60 |
| 1980s | 99 |
| 1990s | 237 |
| 2000s | 1,302 |
| 2010s | 937 |
| 2020s | 241 |
Meaning & origin
Lilli is a name with layered origins, often seen as both a floral name and a diminutive of Elisabeth. In the United States, it first appeared on record in 1912, but it never achieved widespread popularity. Its peak came in 2006, when it ranked highest, and since 2007 its usage has been on a steady decline. By 2025, it stood at rank 3903, with roughly 1 in 43440 girls receiving the name. While it has no recorded top state concentrations, Lilli remains a familiar variant used across German, Finnish, and English naming traditions, often chosen for its light and modern feel.
Lilli is primarily a German and Finnish diminutive of Elisabeth (from Hebrew Elisheva, meaning 'God is my oath'). It also serves as a variant of Lily, the flower name, and as a short form of names like Lillian. In English-speaking countries, Lilli has been used as a spelling variant of Lily, though its usage as an independent given name dates to the late 19th century in Germany.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Lil, Lilly, Lilli-Billi
Sibling names for Lilli
Names that share Lilli's style, for a brother or sister.
