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Home › Baby Names Directory › Hillary

Hillary

♀ Girl

Pronounced HIL-uh-ree /ˈhɪl.ə.ri/High

Meaning: cheerful, merry, joyfulHigh

In 30 seconds: Hillary is a Latin name meaning cheerful and merry. A classic name strongly associated with trailblazer Hillary Clinton and mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary.
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Origin HighLatin, Greek
Meaningcheerful, merry, joyful
U.S. rank (2025)#2592 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births67 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1992
Total births (all-time)≈ 29,044

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199219222025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Hillary derives from the Latin hilarius meaning cheerful or merry, ultimately from the Greek hilaros. Saint Hilarius was a 4th-century Pope and the name came into English use in the medieval period.

Hillary was a popular name in English-speaking countries from the 1950s through the 1990s. Its most famous bearer is Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Did you know? Sir Edmund Hillary (1919–2008), who first summited Everest in 1953, has a surname derived from hilarius meaning cheerful — making Hillary literally a name meaning joyfully going where no one has gone before.
Overall data confidence 90%
Hanks & Hodges, Dictionary of First Names — reference for HillaryBehind the Name: Hillary — name etymology reference

Variations

HilaryHilliaryHilari

Nicknames

HillyHill

Famous Bearers

  • ★Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947–present)
    American politician, former US Secretary of State, US Senator from New York, and 2016 presidential nominee.

If you like Hillary…

Vivian— similar mid-century American classic feminine name
Ashley— classic 1980s American girls name of same era
Courtney— popular surname name for girls of same period
Emily— beloved classic of similar American popularity
Kelly— mid-century American classic with similar sporty feel

Explore names like Hillary

By themeamericanlatinclassicthree-syllable
By meaningJoy

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Frequently Asked

What does Hillary mean?

Hillary means cheerful, merry, and joyful, from the Latin hilarius.

How do you pronounce Hillary?

Hillary is pronounced HIL-uh-ree (/ˈhɪl.ə.ri/), with three syllables.

Is Hillary a girl's name?

Hillary is primarily used as a feminine name in modern times.

How popular is the name Hillary?

Hillary was popular in the 1950s–1990s in English-speaking countries and remains a respected classic.

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