Given name & surname
Hillary
“a cheerful woman; bringer of joy”
In English use, Hillary has an alternative spelling in Hilary. One Greek interpretation is “a cheerful woman; bringer of joy.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Hillary has an alternative spelling in Hilary. One Greek interpretation is “a cheerful woman; bringer of joy.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Hillary has an alternative spelling in Hilary. An origin associated with Hilary is Greek.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1888. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Hillary through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 30,305
- 1,262 boys · 29,043 girls
- Most popular year
- 1992
- 2,527 babies
- 2025
- 67
- #2,592 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −8%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 0% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 67 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,592 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 7.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 2,520 in 1992. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (9). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 27,773 as a first name in 2020; 1,250 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.
Hillary’s family of names
In English usage, Hillary has a diminutive in HIL. In English usage, Hillary as a surname shares a linguistic root with KLAR. In English usage, Hillary has an alternative spelling in Hilary.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Hillary has relatives in 12 languages.
18 related names in 12 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 16
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Hillary
- Hillary ClintonAmerican politician and diplomat (born 1947)
- Hillary WolfAmerican actor and judokaborn 1977
- Hillary BrookeAmerican film actress (1914–1999)
- Hillary ScottAmerican singer and songwriterborn 1986
- Hillary LindseyAmerican singer-songwriter (born 1977)born 1976
- Hillary JanssensCanadian rowerborn 1994
- Hillary TuckAmerican actressborn 1978
- Hilaria BaldwinAmerican yoga instructor, entrepreneur, podcaster, and authorborn 1984
- Hillary ScholtenAmerican politician (born 1982)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Hillary, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Barbara
“foreign woman” · “a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger”
>99% girls
Nancy
“a woman graced with God's favor” · “one who is pure; chaste”
>99% girls
Patricia
“of noble descent” · “patrician”
>99% girls
Rosalynn
Rosalynn is a feminine given name from Latin.
>99% girls
Ilana
“tree”
>99% girls
Jacqueline
“the supplanter”
>99% girls
Jori
“farmer” · “one who works the earth”
16% boys · 84% girls
Tori
“victorious woman; winner; conqueror” · “victory”
4% boys · 96% girls