Hillary
Hillary: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈhɪ.lə.ɹi/
Meaning and origin of Hillary
Root meaning: “cheerfully”
- A unisex given name from Latin.
- A female given name from Latin Hilaria.
- A male given name from Latin Hilarius, variant of Hilary.
Etymology
From Latin Hilarius or Hilaria, from hilare (“cheerfully”) (compare English hilarious).
How popular is Hillary?
Since 1880, 29,043 girls and 1,262 boys in the U.S. have been named Hillary (96% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #132 in 1992. Its highest rank for boys was #778 in 1898. In 2025, 67 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Hillary
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Latin girl names
Sibling name ideas for Hillary
Sister and brother names that share Hillary's Latin roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Hillary FAQ
What does the name Hillary mean?
Hillary traces back to a root meaning "cheerfully". A unisex given name from Latin. A female given name from Latin Hilaria. A male given name from Latin Hilarius, variant of Hilary. From Latin Hilarius or Hilaria, from hilare (“cheerfully”) (compare English hilarious).
What is the origin of the name Hillary?
Hillary is listed as a name of Latin origin.
How popular is the name Hillary?
Since 1880, 29,043 girls and 1,262 boys in the U.S. have been named Hillary (96% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #132 in 1992. Its highest rank for boys was #778 in 1898. In 2025, 67 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Hillary a boy or girl name?
Hillary is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 29,043 girls and 1,262 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.