Hilary: A Knowledgeable Factual Name
Hilary is a boy’s name that means “holly” in Old English.
The name Hilary was created by combining two words: holly and Harry.
Popularity
It has ranked in the top 500 names for boys since 1880, but it never made it into the top 100 or 200 most popular baby names for boys.
The popularity of Hilary ranks at 577th in America according to the Social Security Administration.
In England, it was not in the top 100 baby boy names in 2022.
Meaning of Hilary
The name Hilary has a few different meanings that depend on which root word it is derived from. The name may come from the Latin word hilaris, meaning “cheerful.” It may also be derived from the Old English words hægel (holly) and ryge (wheat), or the Welsh words eryr meaning “king” and iaur (old).
Famous People with the Name Hilary
Famous people known as Hilary include;
- Hilary Benn: A British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Leeds Central since 1999.
- Hilary Jenkinson: A British scholar.
- Hilary Putnam: An American philosopher who taught at Harvard, Yale, and MIT.
Useful Resources
Discover the meaning and popularity of other English boys names.