UK girl's name
Lili
A feminine name of German origin meaning "lily flower".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Lili is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Lili popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #497, with 79 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 109 births.
This profile covers 2,153 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 72% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 2,234 living people in the UK are called Lili. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Lili ranked #497 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 79 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 109 girls were registered as Lili.
- • Lili ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #391 in 2023.
- • About 2,234 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lili as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#497
2024
Births in 2024
79
Latest year
Peak year
2004
109 births
Estimated living
2,234
2026
Meaning
What does Lili mean?
The name Lili has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture. It is a diminutive form of the name Lilith, which was derived from the Sumerian lil, meaning "wind" or "air." In Hebrew mythology, Lilith was a female demon who was said to be the first wife of Adam before Eve.
The name Lili gained popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly in France and Germany. It was often used as a pet form of the names Elizabeth or Lilian. The earliest recorded use of the name Lili dates back to the 13th century in France.
One of the earliest notable figures with the name Lili was Lili'uokalani, who was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. She reigned from 1891 to 1893 and was known for her efforts to preserve Hawaiian culture and sovereignty.
In the world of literature, Lili Boulanger was a French composer and the first woman to win the prestigious Prix de Rome composition prize in 1913. She was a influential figure in the early 20th century classical music scene.
Another notable Lili was Lili St. Cyr, an American burlesque dancer and stripper who was famous in the 1940s and 1950s. She was known for her elegant and sophisticated stage performances and was often referred to as the "Queen of Burlesque."
In the realm of cinema, Lili Damita was a French-American actress who appeared in several Hollywood films during the 1920s and 1930s. She was known for her roles in movies such as "The Cock-Eyed World" (1929) and "This is the Night" (1932).
Lili Reinhart is a contemporary American actress and author, best known for her role as Betty Cooper in the popular television series "Riverdale." She has also published a collection of poetry and has been an advocate for mental health awareness.
Throughout history, the name Lili has been associated with various cultural and artistic figures, spanning different time periods and regions. Its unique and melodic sound has contributed to its enduring appeal as a given name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lili over time
The chart below shows babies named Lili registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Lili, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 79 births in 2024, compared with 109 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lili by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lili was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #553 | 358 | 5 |
| 2010s | #552 | 764 | 10 |
| 2000s | #436 | 863 | 10 |
| 1990s | #687 | 168 | 4 |
Geography
Where Lili is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Lili. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Lili ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #391 in 2023.
Across the UK
Lili in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#638 in 2024
17 years of NRS records, 81 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#391 in 2023
4 years of NISRA records, 12 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Lili
-
Lili Jones
association football player
Welsh footballer
2005-
-
Lili Thomas
badminton player
badminton player
2002-
-
Lili Kraus
pianist; classical pianist; composer
Hungarian born English classical pianist (1903–1986)
1903-1986
Related
Names similar to Lili
- Lily 72,956
- Lucy 70,663
- Lauren 50,664
- Leah 33,185
- Lola 24,525
- Layla 24,520
- Laura 23,471
- Lilly 21,714
- Lydia 18,353
- Libby 14,515
- Lara 13,415
- Lacey 13,406
FAQ
Lili: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lili in the UK right now?
In 2024, Lili was ranked #497 for girls in England and Wales, with 79 births registered.
When was Lili most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 109 babies registered as Lili in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lili?
A feminine name of German origin meaning "lily flower".
How many people are called Lili in the UK?
A total of 2,153 babies have been registered as Lili across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 81 more in Scotland and 12 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Lili most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Lili ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #391 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.