UK girl's name
Lilja
A feminine Scandinavian name meaning "lily" or "pure".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Lilja is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Lilja popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2888, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 9 births.
This profile covers 67 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 2008 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 89% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 67 living people in the UK are called Lilja. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Lilja ranked #2888 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 9 girls were registered as Lilja.
- • About 67 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lilja as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2888
2022
Births in 2022
8
Latest year
Peak year
2012
9 births
Estimated living
67
2026
Meaning
What does Lilja mean?
The name Lilja originates from the Old Norse language and is derived from the word "lilja," meaning "lily." It has been a popular name in Scandinavian countries for centuries, particularly in Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
In Old Norse mythology, the lily was associated with fertility and purity. The name Lilja was likely bestowed upon children as a symbol of these qualities and as a way to honor the beauty of the flower.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Lilja can be found in the Icelandic Saga of Erik the Red, written in the 13th century. The saga includes a character named Lilja, suggesting that the name was in use during the Viking Age.
Historically, notable individuals with the name Lilja include Lilja Birgisdóttir (1966-), an Icelandic poet and author known for her works that explore themes of love, identity, and the human condition. Lilja Sigurðardóttir (1958-), another Icelandic writer, has published several novels and short story collections.
In the realm of music, Lilja Bloom (1984-) is a Swedish singer-songwriter known for her folk-inspired sound and poetic lyrics. Lilja Praizovic (1990-) is a Swedish singer and Eurovision Song Contest participant who represented Sweden in 2019.
In the field of politics, Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir (1976-) is an Icelandic politician and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, known for her advocacy of human rights and environmental issues.
While the name Lilja has its roots in Old Norse culture, it has since gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in Scandinavian countries and communities with strong Nordic cultural ties.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lilja over time
The chart below shows babies named Lilja registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Lilja, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2022, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lilja by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lilja 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 | #4235 | 11 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4040 | 45 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3778 | 11 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Lilja
- 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
Lilja: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lilja in the UK right now?
In 2022, Lilja was ranked #2888 for girls in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Lilja most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 9 babies registered as Lilja in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lilja?
A feminine Scandinavian name meaning "lily" or "pure".
How many people are called Lilja in the UK?
A total of 67 babies have been registered as Lilja across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.