girl's name
Hilary
- Origin Polish
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 6
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 29,978
Ireland
#707
2010 births
Hilary is a girl's name with 3 syllables. In 2025 it was given to 24 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Hilary is a name of Polish origin.
- Peaked in 1990, when 1,225 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 138,141 babies in the United States is given this name.
- Hilary started out as a boys' name and is now given almost entirely to girls.
- First appears in US birth records in 1882.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Hilary over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 20 |
| 1890s | 24 |
| 1900s | 36 |
| 1910s | 311 |
| 1920s | 466 |
| 1930s | 403 |
| 1940s | 732 |
| 1950s | 1,614 |
| 1960s | 2,577 |
| 1970s | 5,083 |
| 1980s | 8,448 |
| 1990s | 4,578 |
| 2000s | 1,362 |
| 2010s | 506 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 208 |
How popular is Hilary?
In 2025, Hilary was given to 24 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Hilary is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Hilary
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Hilary also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Hilary over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Hilary
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Hilary — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Hilary
How popular is the name Hilary?
In 2025, Hilary was given to 24 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Hilary a girl's or a boy's name?
Hilary is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Hilary?
Hilary has 3 syllables.
When was Hilary most popular?
Hilary peaked in 1990, when 1,225 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Hilary a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Hilary currently ranks #3,966 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.
Was Hilary originally a boys' or girls' name?
Hilary was given mostly to boys in the earliest US birth records and is now given almost entirely to girls.