Lyly
A shortened variation of the name Lilith or Lilian, potentially meaning "beauty" or "night spirit".
Name Census estimates that about 111 living Americans carry the first name Lyly. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lyly today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lyly births was 1996 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lyly. 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
111
~ 1 in 3,087,877 Americans
Peak year
1996
10 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2007 SSA rank
#14,854
Tracked since 1985
Census
Lyly in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 492 people with the first name Lyly, which placed it at #20,854 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#20,854
National first-name rank
People counted
492
492 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.2
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Asian and Pacific Islander
69.1% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lyly
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Lyly is Asian/Pacific Islander at 69.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.4%) and White (10.0%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Lyly described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Lyly at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander69.1% · 340
- Hispanic or Latino11.4% · 56
- White10.0% · 49
- Black or African American4.9% · 24
- Two or more races4.5% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Popularity
Lyly: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lyly from the 1980s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 70 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lyly 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 Lyly during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lylys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Lyly
The name Lyly is a unique and intriguing one with roots that can be traced back to ancient civilizations. Its origins lie in the Persian language, where it is believed to have derived from the word "lili," meaning "lily flower." This association with the delicate and beautiful lily blossom lends the name a sense of grace and elegance.
In the early days of Persian culture, the name Lyly was often bestowed upon young girls as a symbol of purity and innocence. It was a popular choice among noble families and was frequently found in ancient Persian texts and poetry, where it was used to describe the beauty and delicacy of women.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lyly can be found in the writings of the renowned Persian poet Hafez, who lived between 1315 and 1390 CE. In his works, he made several references to a woman named Lyly, praising her beauty and virtue. This early mention solidifies the name's place in Persian literary history.
As the name spread beyond its Persian roots, it took on various spellings and forms in different cultures. In ancient Greece, for example, the similar name "Lilia" was used, while in Roman times, the variant "Liliana" became popular.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Lyly. One of the earliest was Lyly Azizpour (1897-1972), an Iranian artist renowned for her intricate miniature paintings. Her works are celebrated for their vibrant colors and intricate details, capturing the essence of Persian culture.
Another prominent figure was Lyly Kadyr (1905-1988), a Kazakh writer and poet who played a significant role in the development of Kazakh literature. Her works often explored themes of love, nature, and the struggles of her people, earning her a place in the canon of Kazakh literary greats.
In the realm of music, Lyly Ponce (1920-2006) was a Cuban singer and actress who rose to fame in the mid-20th century. Known for her powerful voice and captivating stage presence, she became a beloved figure in the Latin American entertainment industry, leaving a lasting impact on the world of music.
Moving forward in time, Lyly Rojas (born 1958) is a renowned Venezuelan sculptor whose works have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. Her stunning creations, often made from bronze and steel, explore themes of humanity, nature, and the human condition, earning her critical acclaim and numerous accolades.
Finally, Lyly Tansini (born 1977) is a contemporary Brazilian artist known for her vibrant and expressive paintings. Her works, rich in color and texture, have been showcased in numerous exhibitions, capturing the attention of art enthusiasts and critics alike.
These are just a few examples of the many remarkable individuals who have carried the name Lyly throughout history, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human culture and achievement.
People
Lyly + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lyly 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
Lyly: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lyly?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 111 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lyly 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 3,087,877 US residents.
Is Lyly a common name?
We classify Lyly as "Very Rare". It ranks above 66.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 115 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lyly most popular?
The single biggest year for Lyly was 1996, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lyly is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Lyly in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 492 people with the name Lyly, or 0.16 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #20,854 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Lyly in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Lyly?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Lyly leans strongly female. 487 people counted with this name were female (98.8%), compared with 6 male bearers (1.2%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Lyly?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Lyly is Asian/Pacific Islander at 69.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.4%) and White (10.0%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Lyly most often in the Census?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest reported group for people named Lyly in the 2020 Census, accounting for 69.1% (340 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Lyly in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Lyly a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lyly 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.
Is Lyly still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Lyly in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Lyly can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
How many people have the name Lyly?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.