The first name Hilary
A girl’s name from Latin meaning “cheerful”, “happy”.
Pronounced /ˈhɪləɹi/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Hilary means “cheerful”, “happy” in Latin.
From Latin Hilarius (“cheerful, happy”), name of a fourth-century saint, and from its feminine form Hilaria.
More names that mean joy.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 6 girls were named Hilary, making it the 3,705th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 23 births (#916).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Hilary with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Hilary at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 24 girls born in the United States were named Hilary, the 5,301st most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1990, when 1,217 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Hilary in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Hilary in Polish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Hilary
26 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Hilary SwankAmerican actress (born 1974)
- Hilary DuffAmerican actress, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur and writer (born 1987)
- Hilary MantelBritish writer (1952–2022)
- Hilary PutnamAmerican philosopher and mathematician, 1926–2016
- Hilary HahnAmerican classical violinist, born 1979
- Hilary BennBritish politician (born 1953)
- Hilary KnightAmerican ice hockey player, born 1989
- Hilary RhodaAmerican model, born 1987
- Hilary LindhAlpine skier, born 1969
- Hilary CaldwellCanadian swimmer, Olympic athlete, Pan American Games gold medallist, born 1990
- Hilary SmartAmerican sailor, 1925–2000
- Hilary DwyerBritish actress (1945-2020)
More Latin girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Hilary mean?
- Hilary means “cheerful”, “happy” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Hilary?
- From Latin Hilarius (“cheerful, happy”), name of a fourth-century saint, and from its feminine form Hilaria.
- How popular is the name Hilary?
- In 2025, 6 girls born in England and Wales were named Hilary, ranking 3,705th. Its peak was 1996, with 23 births.
- Is Hilary a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 26,368 US babies named Hilary since 1880, 92% were girls and 8% boys.
- When was Hilary most popular?
- 1990 in the United States, when 1,217 babies were named Hilary, its highest rank at 232nd.
- How do you pronounce Hilary?
- Hilary is /ˈhɪləɹi/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Hilary?
- Ellery and Hillary.