Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Ilian 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 1993. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ilian through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 365
- 320 boys · 45 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 57 babies
- 2025
- 57
- #2,404 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +73%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 57 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,404 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 96.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (11 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 512 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ilian’s family of names
Ilian may belong to the same name family as ILIANN. This is a tentative spelling connection.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Ilian
- Ilian StoyanovBulgarian association football player (born 1977)
- Ilian IlievBulgarian footballer (born 1968)
- Ilian IlievBulgarian footballer (born 1999)
- Ilian EvtimovBulgarian and French basketball playerborn 1983
- Iliyan YordanovBulgarian footballerborn 1989
- Ilian VassilevBulgarian diplomatborn 1956
- Ilian BergalaFrench actorborn 1996
- Ilian DjevelekovBulgarian film directorborn 1966
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ilian, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ezrian
>99% boys
Elyan
“a spirited man” · “The Lord answers our prayers”
96% boys · 4% girls
Cillian
“one who suffers strife”
>99% boys
Elian
“a spirited man”
99% boys · 1% girls
Cilian
>99% boys
Ilman
>99% boys
Kian
“from an ancient family”
>99% boys
Arshman
>99% boys