Milly

♀ Girl

Pronounced MIHL-ee /ˈmɪl.i/Medium

Meaning: Pet form of Millicent, Emily, Amelia or Camilla; via Millicent meaning 'strong in work'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Milly is an English girl's name, a pet form of Millicent, Emily, Amelia or Camilla. Through Millicent it carries the sense 'strong in work'.

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Origin MediumEnglish, Swedish, Norwegian

MeaningPet form of Millicent, Emily, Amelia or Camilla; via Millicent meaning 'strong in work'.

U.S. rank (2025)#1790 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births113 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2014

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,347

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Milly began as a friendly short form rather than a name in its own right, standing in for Millicent, Emily, Amelia or Camilla. By way of Millicent it picks up the meaning 'strong in work', though it now works happily as a standalone given name. Its listed forms include Mille, plus Cammie, Em, Emmie and Emmy from the names it shortens.

The double 'l' and bright '-y' ending give Milly a cheerful, informal warmth. The actress Milly Alcock (born 2000) is a current bearer.

Did you know? The meaning attached to Milly is 'strong in work', carried via Millicent (Germanic amal 'work' + swinth 'strength'), and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Milly — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

MilleCammieEmEmmieEmmy

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Milly Alcock (2000–present)
Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Milly…

Millicent— A full name Milly is a pet form of, source of its 'strong in work' meaning.

Amelia— One of the longer names Milly serves as a nickname for.

Emily— Another name Milly shortens, sharing the 'Em' family.

Camilla— A full name behind Milly, source of the Cammie variation.

Tilly— A same-style pet name rhyming with Milly.

Explore names like Milly

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Milly mean?

Milly is a diminutive of names such as Millicent, Emily, Camilla or Amelia. Via Millicent it means 'strong in work', from Germanic amal ('work') and swinth ('strength').

How do you pronounce Milly?

It's commonly said MIHL-ee /ˈmɪl.i/.

Is Milly a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Milly is used as a girl name.

How popular is Milly?

In 2024, Milly ranked #1791 in the U.S. for girls, with 112 births recorded.