Given name & surname
Lilli
“God is my oath”
In German use, Lilli is a diminutive of Elisabeth. One interpretation is “God is my oath.” Lilli is a variant of Lily. One English interpretation is “resembling the flower; one who is innocent and beautiful.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Lilli is a diminutive of Elisabeth. One interpretation is “God is my oath.” Lilli is a variant of Lily. One English interpretation is “resembling the flower; one who is innocent and beautiful.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Lilli is a variant of Lily. An origin associated with Lily is English.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In German usage, Lilli is a diminutive of Elisabeth.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Lilli through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,383
- 0 boys · 3,383 girls
- Most popular year
- 2006
- 174 babies
- 2025
- 37
- #3,953 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −36%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 37 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,953 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 36.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 174 in 2006. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,758 as a first name in 2020; 161 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.
Lilli’s family of names
In German usage, Lilli is a diminutive of Elisabeth. Lilli has a related form in Lily. In German usage, Lilli has a conventional equivalent in the English form Lily.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Lilli has relatives in 7 languages.
10 related names in 7 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Lilli
- Lilli PalmerGerman actress (1914–1986)
- Lilli SuburgEstonian journalist (1841-1923)
- Lilli SchwarzkopfGerman heptathleteborn 1983
- Lilli CaratiItalian actress (1956–2014)
- Lilli GruberItalian journalist and former politicianborn 1957
- Lilli LehmannGerman operatic soprano (1848–1929)
- Lilli PrometEstonian writer (1922–2007)
- Lilli HornigAmerican Czechoslovakian-born scientist1921–2017
- Lilli TaggerAustrian tennis playerborn 2008
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lilli, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lynae
“a man of the lake”
>99% girls
Arly
“from the meadow of the hare” · “an oath; a pledge”
23% boys · 77% girls
Lupita
“from the valley of wolves” · “from the river of the wolf”
>99% girls
Hally
“from the hall near the meadow” · “from the hall”
>99% girls
Lynnea
“a man of the lake”
>99% girls
Carlie
“from the farmer's meadow” · “a free woman”
>99% girls
Elana
“from the oak tree”
>99% girls
Harlie
“from the meadow of the hares”
>99% girls