NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Lolly

A feminine name derived from the endearing term for a lollipop.

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.

Lolly is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Lolly popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 4 births.

This profile covers 31 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2008 to 2024. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 31 living people in the UK are called Lolly. 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

  • Lolly ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2012, when 4 girls were registered as Lolly.
  • About 31 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lolly as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4843

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

2012

4 births

Estimated living

31

2026

Meaning

What does Lolly mean?

The given name Lolly is a diminutive form of the name Lola, which has its origins in the Spanish language. Lola itself is a shortened version of the Spanish name Dolores, derived from the Latin word "dolores," meaning "sorrows" or "pains." This name was initially given to honor the sorrows endured by the Virgin Mary.

Lolly emerged as a pet form or nickname for Lola in the late 19th century, particularly in parts of the United States and the United Kingdom. It was often used as an affectionate diminutive for young girls named Lola or as a standalone name in its own right.

While the name Lolly does not have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its root name, Dolores, has been associated with the Catholic veneration of the Virgin Mary and her suffering during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Lolly can be found in the United States census records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was particularly popular in certain regions, such as the southern states and parts of the Midwest.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Lolly. One example is Lolly Willows (1878-1976), an English stage and film actress who had a successful career during the early 20th century. Another notable Lolly was Lolly Dyer (1899-1977), an American vaudeville performer and actress who appeared in numerous Broadway productions and films.

In the literary world, Lolly Follington is a character from the novel "The Rising Tide" by Molly Keane, published in 1937. This fictional character was a young woman from an upper-class Irish family.

Lolly Bright (1932-2008) was a British actress and singer who gained recognition for her roles in various television series and musicals in the 1960s and 1970s.

Lolly Belle (1935-1997) was an Australian-born actress and model who had a successful career in Hollywood during the 1950s and 1960s, appearing in numerous films and television shows.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Lolly over time

The chart below shows babies named Lolly registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 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 Lolly, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Lolly
01234200820162024

Decades

Lolly by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lolly 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 #4928 15 4
2010s #5500 13 4
2000s #5545 3 1

Related

Names similar to Lolly

FAQ

Lolly: questions and answers

How popular is the name Lolly in the UK right now?

In 2024, Lolly was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Lolly most popular?

The peak year on record was 2012, with 4 babies registered as Lolly in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Lolly?

A feminine name derived from the endearing term for a lollipop.

How many people are called Lolly in the UK?

A total of 31 babies have been registered as Lolly across the 9 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.