Lillian is an English name that grew out of Lily, from the Latin lilium, and means "lily"; it may also have started as a pet form of Elizabeth. The lily has been a symbol of purity for centuries, and Lillian was one of the top names in the United States around 1900 before it came back in the 2000s. It ranked number 129 in 2000, entered the top 100 in 2002, peaked at number 22 in 2010 and stands at number 57 among girls in 2025.