Hilary

Hilary is a feminine first name that translates into German as "die Heitere" or "die Fröhliche." It represents a medieval English form of the name Hilaria, which is a feminine derivative of the Latin Hilarius.

What does the name Hilary mean?

The name Hilary, translated into German as "die Heitere" and "die Fröhliche," is a medieval English form of Hilaria, which in turn is a feminine variant of the Latin Hilarius. Its roots lie in the Latin term hilarus, meaning "cheerful" and "happy." The spread of the name and its variants can be traced back to Saint Hilarion, who was born as the son of pagan parents in Thabatha, south of Gaza in Syria-Palestine. He learned rhetoric from a grammarian in Alexandria, where he later converted to Christianity. Another significant bearer of this name is Saint Hilary, who was Bishop of Poitiers in the 7th century. Other variants include Hilarie, Hillary, Hillarey, and Ilaria, while male forms such as Hilaire, Hilario, Hilarion, and Hilar are also widespread. The name also appears as a surname. A well-known bearer of the name is violinist Hilary Hahn.

Where does the name Hilary come from?

The name Hilary has Latin roots and means "the Cheerful." The etymology derives from the Latin term hilarus, which means "cheerful" or "happy," as well as from the Ancient Greek hilarós (ἱλαρός), meaning "pleasant," "cheerful," "gracious," or "kind." The name is common in Anglo-Saxon and English languages.

How do you pronounce Hilary?

The sound quality and pronunciation of Hilary: The name Hilary has three to four syllables and flows smoothly. It is pronounced as "Hi-la-ry" [ˈhɪləri] or [ˈhɪləʁi], with a bright beginning meeting a gently swinging ending syllable. The sound sequence remains light and agile. The bright "y" at the end gives the name a fresh touch. Hilary conveys a modern and friendly impression - melodious, open, and with an international, Anglophone lightness.

When is the name day of Hilary?

Hilary celebrates her name day on January 13, March 16, and November 3.

Popularity

In Germany, Hilary is a rather rare first name. In 2022, it ranked 5,539th on the list of the most common female first names. Its best ranking was achieved in 2010 at 2,348th place. In the last ten years, Hilary has been given as a first name about 20 times, placing it 6,173rd in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 6,302nd.

Nicknames & pet names

Ary / Hil / Hila / Hile / Hilek / Hills / Hilly / Hils

Similar first names

Famous people

• Hilary Barte (American tennis player)
• Hilary Becker (role in 'Primeval')
• Hilary Bell (Australian writer)
• Hilary Bradt (British writer)
• Hilary Burton (actress)
• Hilary Cawthorne (British fencer)
• Hilary Crane (British actress)
• Hilary Duff (actress, singer)
• Hilary Dupre (British musician)
• Hilary Dwyer (English actress)
• Hilary Evans (English writer)
• Hilary Hahn (violinist)
• Hilary J. Bader (1952–2002, American screenwriter)
• Hilary Koprowski (1916–2013, Polish-American virologist and immunologist)
• Hilary Liftin (American writer)
• Hilary Lindh (American alpine ski racer)
• Hilary Lofting (English writer)
• Hilary Mahaney (American soccer player)
• Hilary Mason (1917–2006, British actress)
• Hilary McRae (American musician)