Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Hilary as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Hilary

♡Add to my Name List

The baby name Hilary is a Unisex name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced HIL-ə-ree (IPA: /ˈhɪləri/).

Hilary is Latin in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: HIL-ə-ree (IPA: /ˈhɪləri/)

What is the meaning of the name Hilary ?

The baby name Hilary is a Unisex name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced HIL-ə-ree (IPA: /ˈhɪləri/).

Hilary is Latin in Origin.

Hilary comes from the Latin Hilarius, derived from hilaris “cheerful, merry,” ultimately linked to Greek hilaros. In medieval Christendom it was primarily a male name, borne by influential bishops such as Saint Hilary of Poitiers (4th century) and Saint Hilary of Arles (5th). Their prominence fixed the name in ecclesiastical calendars; the English legal calendar still preserves it in “Hilary Term,” named for the January 13 feast.

English usage later broadened to women, with Hilary/Hillary gaining popularity in the mid-20th century across the UK and United States. The traditional English spelling is Hilary, while Hillary is a common modern variant; rarer forms include Hilarie. International equivalents include French Hilaire (m) and Hilarie (f), Italian Ilario and Ilaria, Spanish and Portuguese Hilario/Hilário and Hilaria/Hilária, Greek and Slavic Hilarion/Illarion, and Polish Hilary. All retain the buoyant sense of “cheerful” or “joyful.”

Hilary has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Hilary

Hilary Swank Actor · Born 1974 · United States Hilary Swank is an American actor best known for her roles in 'Boys Don't Cry' and 'Million Dollar Baby', both of which earned her Academy Awards. Born in 1974, she has become a prominent figure in Hollywood for her compelling performances and dedication to her craft. Hilary Duff Actor · Born 1987 · United States Hilary Duff is an American actress and singer who rose to fame as the title character in the television series 'Lizzie McGuire'. She also starred in films like 'A Cinderella Story' and released popular songs such as 'Come Clean'.

Hilary – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2010 #1 — 983
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
MO 0 #51 2 2,706
CM 0 #55 2 2,592
AL 0 #76 1 2,372
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
BG 0 #82 1 1,799
JM 0 #92 2 3,714
BN Girls 0 #113 2 5,459
EC 0 #120 2 2,502
OM 0 #120 2 6,215
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
CY Girls 0 #122 4 3,755
PA 0 #131 8 3,797
Switzerland Girls 2024 #134 2 1,786
ID Boys 0 #134 2 4,130
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
MU 0 #137 1 3,613
EE Girls 0 #141 2 1,888
CR 0 #144 15 5,526
MT Girls 0 #148 6 3,773
BW Girls 0 #149 3 4,216
BW Boys 0 #154 1 4,685
MT Boys 0 #177 3 4,064
AE 0 #186 2 10,220
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
NA Girls 0 #203 22 7,146
AL Girls 0 #225 3 4,141
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
MO Girls 0 #228 24 7,056
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
MO Boys 0 #232 3 5,842
NG 0 #242 23 5,926
GH 0 #245 4 5,396
GR Girls 0 #247 3 6,293
NA Boys 0 #248 6 6,830
AO Boys 0 #249 1 5,568
JM Girls 0 #249 11 7,507
JP Girls 0 #250 2 6,592
PT 0 #250 1 4,161
EC Girls 0 #256 3 3,650
SG 0 #260 10 11,010
GR Boys 0 #273 1 6,912
Canada Girls 2023 #275 5 2,824
IL 0 #280 3 6,291
PA Girls 0 #281 216 9,861
TW Girls 0 #283 7 8,139
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
PE 0 #300 11 6,350
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
CN Girls 0 #309 41 8,829
SA 0 #309 4 10,560
HK 0 #314 35 8,483
MY 0 #314 17 12,352
CR Girls 0 #318 233 11,342
PL Boys 0 #321 15 6,459
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
CN Boys 0 #331 1 9,639
GH Girls 0 #333 5 6,973
GH Boys 0 #334 12 8,138
GT 0 #335 4 5,948
JO Girls 0 #337 3 7,570
QA Girls 0 #340 4 15,378
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
BR 0 #356 5 5,969
MU Girls 0 #357 6 8,539
France Girls 2020 #391 4 3,215
ZA 0 #402 46 14,421
BD Girls 0 #404 3 8,413
HK Girls 0 #404 222 16,104
PH Boys 0 #406 3 11,440
BO 0 #407 2 6,868
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
CM Boys 0 #413 142 12,054
UY Boys 0 #413 1 5,922
OM Girls 0 #420 5 15,987
PH Girls 0 #422 8 13,098
CL 0 #432 3 6,867
NG Boys 0 #432 845 16,906
CM Girls 0 #439 102 11,671
MX 0 #439 7 8,339
Spain 0 #441 12 2,326
GT Girls 0 #448 58 7,500
SD Boys 0 #459 8 10,523
CO 0 #467 14 7,768
PT Girls 0 #467 5 7,952
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
GT Boys 0 #499 1 7,625
UY Girls 0 #501 10 6,731
PA Boys 0 #504 2 9,305
PS Girls 0 #505 19 10,981
CR Boys 0 #507 4 10,188
HK Boys 0 #508 20 12,905
RU Girls 0 #516 8 11,913
IQ Girls 0 #523 3 11,303
BH 0 #541 13 17,937
AE Girls 0 #544 10 20,968
BO Girls 0 #546 66 9,488
SG Girls 0 #547 40 18,916
PS Boys 0 #555 7 10,655
KW Girls 0 #558 4 19,177
LY 0 #558 2 12,703
IL Girls 0 #596 22 11,648
BD Boys 0 #604 2 10,045
CO Girls 0 #608 604 16,140
IL Boys 0 #621 5 10,983
BO Boys 0 #622 1 9,244
AR Girls 0 #625 6 8,289
PE Girls 0 #643 332 14,861
IN Girls 0 #651 4 13,121
IT 0 #669 46 4,183
SG Boys 0 #688 10 17,960
LB 0 #690 1 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #696 2 13,071
QA Boys 0 #698 10 18,093
CL Boys 0 #699 2 13,390
ZA Girls 0 #722 475 25,928
NG Girls 0 #741 46 15,093
KW Boys 0 #755 15 18,755
SY 0 #766 2 11,684
BR Boys 0 #782 4 12,213
CL Girls 0 #818 34 14,098
IT Girls 0 #846 721 9,415
OM Boys 0 #862 20 17,948
TN 0 #862 4 13,765
PE Boys 0 #868 11 14,506
United States Boys 2018 #880 5 7,242
United States Girls 2024 #882 35 8,487
BR Girls 0 #884 58 12,708
MX Girls 0 #885 312 17,781
Spain Girls 0 #909 75 5,561
MY Boys 0 #922 191 25,439
SA Girls 0 #922 14 25,931
EG Boys 0 #924 2 15,035
NL Girls 0 #935 21 5,933
MY Girls 0 #949 46 24,821
MX Boys 0 #965 18 16,355
CO Boys 0 #979 3 15,656
EG Girls 0 #1,004 6 14,742
IN Boys 0 #1,031 9 16,750
AE Boys 0 #1,066 27 22,615
ZA Boys 0 #1,078 101 25,619
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
TR 0 #1,198 14 19,440
DZ 0 #1,229 6 20,130
IT Boys 0 #1,431 41 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,603 12 28,008

Hilary is popular in 72 countries — most recent births per country:

Ireland
Canada
France
Scotland, United Kingdom
United States

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Hilary

Hilary is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Hilary is a 3 syllable name, pronounced HIL-ə-ree (IPA: /ˈhɪləri/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Hillary, Hilarie, Hilaria and Hilarius (archaic/Latin).
Across languages, Hilary has these equivalents: Latin: Hilarius (m), Hilaria (f), Italian: Ilaria (f), Ilario (m), Spanish/Portuguese: Hilario/Hilário (m), and 2 more.
Yes, very popular — Hilary ranked #1 in Ireland in 2010, and appears in official birth registries across 6 countries.
Hilary ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2010).
Yes — 2 notable people named Hilary are in our database, including Hilary Swank (Actor), Hilary Duff (Actor).