Hilary
How to say it: HIL-uh-ree · /ˈhɪləri/
From Latin 'hilarius', derived from Greek 'hilaros' — cheerful, merry.
Hilary was the 1,586th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 24 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1980s, its births are down about 52% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,221 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #1,586 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 24 |
| Share of births | 1 in 36,432 |
| Peak decade | 1980s |
| Change over 10 years | −52% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,221 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,735 among girls’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Hilary peaked in the 1980s and is less common today.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Hilary is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, English, French, Greek, Polish.
In France: #1,735 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Hilary
- Hilary Swank (born 1974)American actress
- Hilary Duff (born 1987)American actress and singer
- Hilary Mantel (1952–2022)British writer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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