Hilary
From Latin Hilarius (“cheerful, happy”), name of a fourth-century saint, and from its feminine form Hilaria.
Every Hilary since 1882 — 26,368 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Hilary
Hilary is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #5,301 in 2025 with 24 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 26,368 American babies have been named Hilary — about 92% girls and 8% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1990, when 1,225 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Hilary stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Hilary year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | #5,301 | — | — |
| 2024 | 37 | #3,995 | — | — |
| 2023 | 60 | #2,833 | — | — |
| 2022 | 45 | #3,501 | — | — |
| 2021 | 20 | #6,035 | — | — |
| 2020 | 22 | #5,547 | — | — |
| 2019 | 31 | #4,480 | — | — |
| 2018 | 11 | #9,409 | 5 | #12,879 |
| 2017 | 16 | #7,217 | — | — |
| 2016 | 27 | #5,049 | — | — |
| 2015 | 56 | #3,041 | — | — |
| 2014 | 60 | #2,858 | — | — |
| 2013 | 66 | #2,670 | — | — |
| 2012 | 75 | #2,458 | — | — |
| 2011 | 79 | #2,355 | — | — |
| 2010 | 80 | #2,370 | — | — |
| 2009 | 87 | #2,251 | — | — |
| 2008 | 101 | #2,045 | — | — |
| 2007 | 164 | #1,439 | — | — |
| 2006 | 218 | #1,133 | — | — |
| 2005 | 219 | #1,090 | — | — |
| 2004 | 196 | #1,155 | — | — |
| 2003 | 110 | #1,722 | — | — |
| 2002 | 96 | #1,857 | — | — |
| 2001 | 84 | #2,018 | — | — |
| 2000 | 87 | #1,943 | — | — |
| 1995 | 125 | #1,326 | — | — |
| 1990 | 1,217 | #232 | 8 | #6,048 |
| 1985 | 1,054 | #244 | 13 | #3,486 |
| 1980 | 741 | #326 | 16 | #2,877 |
| 1975 | 452 | #439 | 9 | #3,765 |
| 1970 | 355 | #532 | 25 | #1,762 |
| 1965 | 247 | #621 | 13 | #2,311 |
| 1960 | 164 | #811 | 19 | #1,878 |
| 1955 | 138 | #821 | 35 | #1,281 |
| 1950 | 109 | #844 | 26 | #1,449 |
| 1945 | 45 | #1,179 | 28 | #1,256 |
| 1940 | 12 | #2,478 | 29 | #1,262 |
| 1935 | 11 | #2,633 | 39 | #1,030 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,479 | 36 | #1,182 |
| 1925 | — | — | 32 | #1,289 |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,623 | 42 | #1,097 |
| 1915 | — | — | 36 | #1,076 |
| 1910 | — | — | 8 | #1,253 |
| 1905 | — | — | 6 | #1,160 |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Hilary
- Hilary of Poitiers Physician · 315–367
- Hilary Putnam Philosopher · 1926–2016
- Hilary Swank Actor · b. 1974
- Hilary Koprowski Physician · 1916–2013
- Hilary Mantel Writer · b. 1952
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Hilary mean?
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?
Hilary ranked #5,301 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 24 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Hilary?
26,368 babies have been named Hilary in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Hilary most popular?
Hilary peaked in 1990, when 1,225 newborns received the name.
Is Hilary a boy or girl name?
Hilary is used for both: about 92% of babies named Hilary have been girls and 8% boys.
Is the name Hilary rising or falling?
Hilary is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Hilary?
Well-known people named Hilary include Hilary of Poitiers (physician), Hilary Putnam (philosopher), Hilary Swank (actor).