Lillien
Feminine diminutive form of the Norman French name Lillie, derived from the Latin Lilia meaning "lily flower".
Name Census estimates that about 298 living Americans carry the first name Lillien. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lillien today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lillien births was 2007 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lillien. 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.
People living today
298
~ 1 in 1,150,182 Americans
Peak year
2007
20 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,467
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Lillien: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lillien from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 152 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lillien 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 Lillien during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lillien
The name Lillien is a feminine given name with origins tracing back to the Latin language. It is derived from the Latin word "lilium," meaning "lily," which refers to the beautiful and fragrant flower. The name is closely related to other names such as Lily, Lilian, and Liliana, all sharing a common root.
In ancient Roman culture, the lily flower held significant symbolism, often associated with purity, innocence, and fertility. This connection may have influenced the choice of the name Lillien for newborn daughters, as it carried positive connotations and wishes for the child's future.
While the name's exact origins are uncertain, some historians suggest that Lillien may have been used as a variant spelling or diminutive form of the more common Lilian during the Middle Ages in certain European regions. It is believed to have gained popularity in various parts of Europe, particularly in areas with linguistic influences from Latin or Romance languages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lillien can be found in the 12th century, when a noblewoman named Lillien de Montfort was mentioned in historical records from France. Another notable figure bearing the name was Lillien von Trier, a German abbess who lived in the 14th century and played a significant role in the religious life of her region.
In the realm of literature, the name Lillien appears in several works, including the 19th-century novel "The Lilies of the Valley" by Honore de Balzac, where a character named Lillien represents the embodiment of innocence and purity.
Other notable individuals named Lillien throughout history include:
1. Lillien Nordica (1857-1914), an American opera singer renowned for her powerful soprano voice.
2. Lillien Phelan (1892-1970), a Canadian politician and the first woman elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.
3. Lillien Jane Martin (1851-1943), an American educator and advocate for women's rights.
4. Lillien Hoddeson (1934-2022), an American physicist and historian of science.
5. Lillien Brown (1904-1998), an American jazz singer and vaudeville performer.
While the name Lillien may not be as widespread today as some of its variants, it carries a rich historical legacy and beautiful symbolism, often associated with grace, purity, and the natural beauty of the lily flower.
People
Lillien + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lillien as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lillien: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lillien?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 298 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lillien 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 1,150,182 US residents.
Is Lillien a common name?
We classify Lillien as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 319 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lillien most popular?
The single biggest year for Lillien was 2007, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lillien is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lillien a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lillien 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.