Find out how popular the first name Ilee has been for the last 22 years (from 2003 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Ilee by gender

Based on the last 22 years of data, Ilee is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 8 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Ilee.

The history of the first name Ilee

The name Ilee is a variant of the name Eileen, which originated from the Irish language. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "ail" meaning "beautiful, radiant, or noble" and "īn" meaning "little one." Ilee can be traced back to the early medieval period in Ireland, where it was a popular name among the Celtic people.

The earliest recorded usage of the name Ilee can be found in ancient Irish manuscripts and genealogical records from the 8th to 10th centuries. One notable early bearer of the name was Ilee of Kildare, an Irish noblewoman and patron of the arts who lived in the 9th century.

In the 12th century, the name gained popularity in Britain after the Norman conquest of England, as many Norman nobles adopted Gaelic names for their children. One notable bearer from this period was Ilee de Montfort, the daughter of a Norman lord who married into the powerful Plantagenet dynasty.

During the Middle Ages, the name Ilee was also found in various religious texts and hagiographies, associated with several Irish saints and abbesses. One such figure was Ilee of Louth, a 6th-century abbess and founder of a monastery in County Louth, Ireland.

In the 16th century, the name Ilee was brought to the Americas by Irish immigrants, where it continued to be used, particularly in areas with strong Irish heritage. One notable American bearer of the name was Ilee O'Brien, a Revolutionary War patriot and wife of a prominent Irish-American politician in the late 18th century.

Throughout history, other notable figures with the name Ilee include Ilee MacNeill (1868-1945), an Irish scholar and politician who played a prominent role in the Gaelic revival and the Irish independence movement, and Ilee Dolan (1903-1989), an Irish-American actress and singer who performed on Broadway and in Hollywood during the early 20th century.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Ilee was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ilee, please contact us.

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