Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Dillard isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Dillard through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,730
- 3,730 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1921
- 96 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2014. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 96 in 1921. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,239 as a first name in 2020; 29,768 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Similar names
If you love Dillard, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Durward
“a gatekeeper”
>99% boys
Hillard
Hillard is a masculine given name from French.
>99% boys
Millard
“the guardian of the mill”
>99% boys
Milford
“from the mill's ford”
>99% boys
Derald
“the ruler of an army”
>99% boys
Gerhard
“one who is mighty with a spear” · “one who is guarded; protected”
>99% boys
Winfred
“a friend of peace”
>99% boys
Eldred
“an old, wise advisor”
93% boys · 7% girls