Lylian
Feminine name derived from lilies, symbolizing purity and beauty.
Name Census estimates that about 363 living Americans carry the first name Lylian. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lylian today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lylian births was 2006 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lylian. 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
363
~ 1 in 944,227 Americans
Peak year
2006
28 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,695
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Lylian: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lylian 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 168 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
Lylian 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 Lylian 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 Lylian
The name Lylian is a feminine given name with its origins rooted in the ancient Greek language. It is derived from the Greek word "leirios," meaning "lily flower." The lily has long been a symbol of purity, innocence, and rebirth in various cultures, making the name a popular choice for parents seeking a name with a beautiful and meaningful connotation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lylian can be found in the writings of ancient Greek scholars, who often used it as a poetic reference to the lily flower. In classical Greek mythology, the lily was associated with the goddess Hera, the queen of the gods and the protector of marriage and childbirth.
During the Byzantine era, the name Lylian gained popularity among Christian families, as the lily became a symbol of the Virgin Mary and her purity. This association further solidified the name's connection to virtues such as chastity and devotion.
In the Middle Ages, the name Lylian made its way into various European languages, including French, Italian, and Spanish, with slight variations in spelling and pronunciation. One notable figure from this period was Lylian de Mosbach, a 13th-century German noblewoman and patron of the arts, renowned for her support of medieval literature and poetry.
As the Renaissance period dawned, the name Lylian experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly among the aristocratic classes. One famous bearer of the name was Lylian of Aragon, a 15th-century Spanish princess and the wife of King Ferdinand II of Naples.
During the Victorian era, the name Lylian gained widespread popularity in English-speaking countries, partly due to its association with the romantic ideals of the time. One notable figure from this period was Lylian Whiting, an American author and journalist born in 1847, known for her works on spiritualism and mysticism.
Other notable individuals with the name Lylian throughout history include Lylian Tindill, an American actress born in 1923, best known for her roles in Broadway productions, and Lylian Baylis, a British theatrical producer born in 1888, who played a significant role in the revival of the English ballet and opera.
People
Lylian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lylian 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
Lylian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lylian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 363 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lylian 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 944,227 US residents.
Is Lylian a common name?
We classify Lylian as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 373 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lylian most popular?
The single biggest year for Lylian was 2006, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lylian is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lylian a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lylian 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.