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Girl name · English

Lily

★ #2 in England & Wales, 2025

Lily is a girl's name of English origin, meaning "The lily flower — purity". It was the 2nd most popular girls' name in England and Wales in 2025 (ONS). It belongs to the small set of names that read as classic in any decade, and we file it here as a classic and a nature name — useful shorthand if you're building a shortlist around a particular feel rather than starting from scratch.

At a glance

Meaning
The lily flower — purity
Origin
English
Gender
Girl
Style
classic, nature
UK rank (2025)
#2 (ONS)

Names similar to Lily

Sharing at least one style with Lily — a starting point if you like the feel but want more options.

Sibling name pairings

Names that share Lily's style, if you're planning ahead for a brother or sister.

Questions about the name Lily

What does the name Lily mean?

Lily is of English origin and means "The lily flower — purity".

Is Lily a popular baby name in the UK?

Yes — Lily was the 2nd most popular girls' name in England and Wales in 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics (the latest published data). Rankings update yearly; we refresh this page when ONS releases new figures.

What names are similar to Lily?

Names with a similar style to Lily include Olivia, Amelia, Isla, Ivy.

For current official UK popularity rankings, see the ONS baby names statistics for England and Wales — the only authoritative live source. Explore more names in our Baby Name Finder, or try our due date calculator if you're just getting started.

Reviewed July 2026.