Holding steady.
Popularity of Lilliam since 1886
Babies named Lilliam per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1966, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Lilliam's real moment was 1886.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 6 |
| 1890s | 25 |
| 1900s | 38 |
| 1910s | 71 |
| 1920s | 50 |
| 1930s | 11 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 95 |
| 1960s | 166 |
| 1970s | 110 |
| 1980s | 82 |
| 1990s | 59 |
| 2000s | 53 |
| 2010s | 43 |
| 2020s | 16 |
Meaning & origin
Lilliam is an exceedingly rare name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1886, during the 1880s, a decade when floral and feminized Latin-derived names were fashionable. It has never ranked among the top 1,000 names, and the one-in-N statistic is unavailable, reflecting its scarcity. The name's peak year remains 1886, the first year of its recorded use, after which it virtually disappeared. Its trajectory has been stable, meaning it rarely appears in birth data. Although not tied to any top states, Lilliam's resemblance to the more common Lillian suggests it may have been a personalized spelling variant. This lack of cultural saturation makes it a nearly unique choice.
Lilliam likely originated as a variant spelling of Lillian, which itself derives from the Latin 'lilium' (lily). The name's earliest recorded use in U.S. Social Security data is 1886, suggesting it may have been a 19th-century coinage influenced by the floral name trend. It remains extremely rare, with no rank ever attained.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Lil, Lily, Lia
Sibling names for Lilliam
Names that share Lilliam's style, for a brother or sister.
