Ilany
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "to ascend, to go up."
Name Census estimates that about 84 living Americans carry the first name Ilany. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ilany today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ilany births was 2019 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ilany. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ilany. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
84
~ 1 in 4,080,409 Americans
Peak year
2019
13 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,552
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Ilany: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ilany from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 54 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Ilany remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ilany by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ilany during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ilanys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ilany
The name Ilany has its origins tracing back to the ancient Hebrew language. It is believed to have derived from the Hebrew word "Ilanah," which means "oak tree" or "mighty tree." This name was primarily used in the regions of ancient Israel and the surrounding areas during biblical times.
In the Old Testament, the name Ilany is not directly mentioned, but there are references to the concept of the mighty oak tree as a symbol of strength, endurance, and resilience. The oak tree was considered a sacred plant in ancient Hebrew culture, and its significance was often reflected in names given to individuals.
The earliest recorded use of the name Ilany dates back to the 5th century BCE. One of the earliest known individuals bearing this name was Ilany ben Zevulun, a scribe and scholar who lived in the ancient city of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Ilany. In the 1st century CE, Ilany bar Yosef was a renowned Jewish philosopher and teacher who lived in Alexandria, Egypt. His teachings and writings significantly influenced the development of Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah.
In the 12th century, Ilany ha-Levi was a prominent Jewish scholar and poet who resided in Spain during the Golden Age of Jewish culture in the Iberian Peninsula. His poetic works, which often explored themes of spirituality and love, were widely celebrated and influential during that era.
During the 16th century, Ilany ben Avraham was a renowned Kabbalist and mystic who lived in Safed, a city in the Galilee region of present-day Israel. He was a prominent figure in the Safed circle of Kabbalists and contributed significantly to the development of Jewish mystical thought.
In more recent times, Ilany Mercer (1876-1935) was a British-born American author and journalist known for her writings on social and political issues. She was an advocate for women's rights and played a significant role in the suffrage movement in the United States.
While the name Ilany has its roots in ancient Hebrew culture, it has transcended its linguistic and geographical boundaries and has been adopted by various communities worldwide. The name's connection to the mighty oak tree and its symbolism of strength and resilience continue to resonate with many individuals, making it a popular choice for parents seeking a name with historical and cultural significance.
People
Ilany + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ilany as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ilany: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ilany?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 84 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ilany going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 4,080,409 US residents.
Is Ilany a common name?
We classify Ilany as "Very Rare". It ranks above 62% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 85 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ilany most popular?
The single biggest year for Ilany was 2019, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ilany is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ilany a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ilany in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.