Spelling comparison
Lillian vs Lilian
2025 US records for these exact spellings: Lillian 3,966 and Lilian 537. Lillian’s share of that pair is 88.1%. The multiple is about 7.4 times the published count of Lilian.
US national data through 2025 · Source retrieved
Data updated
A reviewed spelling override keeps this pair together. Lillian profile · Lilian profile
Lillian and Lilian name the same child-name in two spellings. The tables below never merge those rows into a single total. Lillian is the longer of the two spellings, and Lilian is the shorter. Lillian writes “l” between “Lil” and “ian”, and Lilian leaves that spot out.
From 1880 through 2025, every year in which both spellings were published had the same leader on the combined count. There is no crossover in that overlap.
Lillian is first published in these national files in 1880, and Lilian in 1880. Lillian’s larger 2025 category is female. Lilian’s larger 2025 category is female. Lillian led 15 decades among decades in which both spellings have a published total.
Inside 2016–2025, the widest combined gap was 5,836 records in 2016, and the closest year was 2024 (a gap of 3,349). Of the combined 2025 records for this pair (4,503), Lillian is 88.1% and Lilian is 11.9%.
2016–2025, count and rank
2016 belongs to Lillian. Lillian had 6,386 female records (rank #28) and 10 male records (rank #7,928); Lilian had 560 female records (rank #559). The gap that year was 5,836 records. For 2017, compare the categories separately: Lillian had 6,181 female records (rank #27) and 7 male records (rank #10,354); Lilian had 508 female records (rank #589). Lillian led 2017 by 5,680 published records (6,188 to 508), and the smaller spelling is Lilian. Lillian was the higher published spelling in 2018, with 5,567 female records (rank #34) against 494 female records (rank #612) for Lilian. The 2019 national file shows Lillian led 2019 by 4,625 published records (5,127 to 502). Read as exact spellings: Lillian had 5,127 female records (rank #37); Lilian had 502 female records (rank #603). 2020: Lillian led 2020 by 4,081 published records (4,520 to 439). Lillian and Lilian stay separate rows; 4,520 and 439 are not a combined baby-name total. In 2021, Lillian had 4,328 female records (rank #51); Lilian had 464 female records (rank #639). Lillian led 2021 by 3,864 published records (4,328 to 464). 2022 belongs to Lillian. Lillian had 4,260 female records (rank #50); Lilian had 519 female records (rank #577). The gap that year was 3,741 records. For 2023, compare the categories separately: Lillian had 3,940 female records (rank #55); Lilian had 543 female records (rank #558). Lillian led 2023 by 3,397 published records (3,940 to 543), and the smaller spelling is Lilian. Lillian was the higher published spelling in 2024, with 3,893 female records (rank #54) against 544 female records (rank #558) for Lilian. The 2025 national file shows Lillian led 2025 by 3,429 published records (3,966 to 537). Read as exact spellings: Lillian had 3,966 female records (rank #57); Lilian had 537 female records (rank #560).
| Year | Lillian female count | Lillian female rank | Lillian male count | Lillian male rank | Lilian female count | Lilian female rank | Lilian male count | Lilian male rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 6,386 | 28 | 10 | 7,928 | 560 | 559 | — | — |
| 2017 | 6,181 | 27 | 7 | 10,354 | 508 | 589 | — | — |
| 2018 | 5,567 | 34 | — | — | 494 | 612 | — | — |
| 2019 | 5,127 | 37 | — | — | 502 | 603 | — | — |
| 2020 | 4,515 | 46 | 5 | 13,292 | 439 | 656 | — | — |
| 2021 | 4,328 | 51 | — | — | 464 | 639 | — | — |
| 2022 | 4,260 | 50 | — | — | 519 | 577 | — | — |
| 2023 | 3,940 | 55 | — | — | 543 | 558 | — | — |
| 2024 | 3,893 | 54 | — | — | 544 | 558 | — | — |
| 2025 | 3,966 | 57 | — | — | 537 | 560 | — | — |
Combined counts, 1880–2025
Each line adds the published female and male counts for that spelling. A gap is a year with no published observation, not a zero. Lillian is the warm line and Lilian is the cool line.
Which spelling led each decade
Lillian was the 1880s leader, 11,308 published records against 213 for Lilian. The 1890s files give 24,210 published records to Lillian and 280 to Lilian, so Lillian led the decade. Lillian was the 1900s leader, 32,646 published records against 282 for Lilian. The 1910s files give 76,158 published records to Lillian and 637 to Lilian, so Lillian led the decade. Lillian was the 1920s leader, 83,492 published records against 453 for Lilian. The 1930s files give 37,616 published records to Lillian and 173 to Lilian, so Lillian led the decade. Lillian was the 1940s leader, 22,405 published records against 154 for Lilian. The 1950s files give 16,560 published records to Lillian and 190 to Lilian, so Lillian led the decade. Lillian was the 1960s leader, 10,663 published records against 315 for Lilian. The 1970s files give 5,379 published records to Lillian and 475 to Lilian, so Lillian led the decade. Lillian was the 1980s leader, 5,404 published records against 717 for Lilian. The 1990s files give 11,242 published records to Lillian and 1,817 to Lilian, so Lillian led the decade. Lillian was the 2000s leader, 49,466 published records against 5,783 for Lilian. The 2010s files give 65,001 published records to Lillian and 5,935 to Lilian, so Lillian led the decade. Lillian was the 2020s leader, 24,907 published records against 3,046 for Lilian.
Top states in 2025
Lillian’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are Texas (309), Ohio (202), California (200), North Carolina (191), Florida (190). Lilian’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are California (75), Texas (61), Florida (28), Illinois (28), North Carolina (25). Texas, California, North Carolina are in the top states for both spellings. A state can rank differently for each spelling because the counts are not merged.