From the lily flower, Latin 'lilium,' a symbol of purity and innocence. Used as a name since the 19th century.
Lily comes directly from the flower name, itself descending through Old English and Latin from the classical word lilium. As with Rose, Violet, and Daisy, it belongs to the long tradition of botanical names that moved from symbol to ornament to given name. But Lily has always carried especially rich associations: in Christian art it is tied to purity and the Virgin Mary, while in broader European symbolism it can suggest innocence, renewal, beauty, and sometimes royalty, as in the French fleur-de-lis tradition.
Though flower names have ancient symbolic histories, Lily became especially popular as a personal name in the English-speaking world during the nineteenth century, when the Victorians embraced floral language with enthusiasm. It could be used independently or as a pet form for names like Lillian, Lilian, Elizabeth, or Lilith, which gave it both formal and informal life. Literary and artistic appearances helped keep it vivid, and in modern popular culture the name has appeared so often in fiction, film, and television that it now feels timeless rather than period-specific.
What is striking about Lily is how little it has lost in translation across eras. It still sounds delicate, but not weak; familiar, but not plain. In recent decades it has remained a favorite because it balances sweetness with clarity.
The name has evolved from a floral emblem into a fully established classic, one that can feel vintage, romantic, or fresh depending on context. Few names so clearly unite natural imagery, religious symbolism, and everyday charm.