Lilith
Lilith Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
/ˈlɪl.ɪθ/
Meaning of Lilith: The name Lilith derives from the Hebrew tradition, where names carried theological weight and communal identity. Hebrew names often encode prayers or declarations of faith meant to shape a child's life.
The spread of Lilith into the United States followed immigration patterns and cultural exchange that accelerated in the 19th century. According to SSA records, Lilith sits at rank #256 on the national list, with 1,240 births recorded in 2024. The name has remained a recognizable choice across decades.
SSA figures show that Lilith peaked in 2023, placing it in the contemporary era, reflecting current parental preferences for names that blend heritage with modernity. Notably, names that peak later tend to carry longer cultural momentum before declining, which helps explain Lilith's sustained presence in American birth records.
What Does Lilith Mean? Origin & Etymology
Variant spellings of Lilith exist across different cultures that absorbed the Hebrew naming tradition through migration, religion, or conquest. These variants preserve the name's phonetic core while adapting to the phonology of each receiving language.
Notably, Lilith carries a meaning tied to ideals that remain culturally stable across generations. This semantic depth distinguishes heritage names from trend-driven coinages that surge and fade within a decade.
In summary, Lilith offers parents a name grounded in Hebrew tradition with a sound that travels well across American regional accents. Its heritage roots appeal to families seeking meaning over trend.
How Popular Is Lilith?
Numerology & Symbolism of Lilith
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Lilith – Similar Names & Alternatives
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Frequently Asked Questions about Lilith
What does the name Lilith mean?
Lilith means night creature or belonging to the night, from Hebrew lilit, connected to layil (night). It appears once in Isaiah 34:14 as a creature of desolation. In Jewish folklore, Lilith developed into Adam's first wife, a figure of female defiance. Feminist reinterpretation from the 1970s onward transformed her story into a symbol of feminine independence and self-determination.
Is Lilith a demonic name?
Lilith appears as a folkloric demon in medieval Jewish texts, notably Kabbalistic literature from the 8th-10th centuries CE, where she is portrayed as a night-dwelling female spirit. However, this demonological tradition is absent from the Hebrew Bible itself, which mentions her only once in Isaiah 34:14. Contemporary parents choosing the name typically embrace its mythology and feminist reinterpretation rather than its demonological associations.
Where does the name Lilith come from?
Lilith originates in the Hebrew naming tradition. It entered English-speaking countries through immigration, religious influence, and cultural exchange over several centuries, gradually becoming familiar to American parents.
How popular is the name Lilith?
Lilith entered the US top 500 for girls around 2010 with sharp growth, reaching the top 300 by the early 2020s. SSA statistics confirms consistent upward momentum. The name appeals to parents drawn to dark mythological names alongside Raven, Isolde, and Morgana. Its feminist cultural associations through Lilith Fair and popular culture references have broadened its appeal beyond purely gothic aesthetics.
Is Lilith a popular name in the United States?
According to SSA records, Lilith ranks #256 in the United States with 1,240 births in 2024. It sits comfortably in the middle tier of American baby names, recognized without being ubiquitous.
What is the Lilith Fair connection?
Lilith Fair (1997-1999) was a music festival founded by Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan, named after the folkloric figure. It was the top-grossing touring festival of 1997 and featured female-led acts including Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, and Tracy Chapman. The festival framed Lilith as a feminist symbol of female artistic power, significantly rehabilitating the name's cultural associations in the late 1990s.
What are similar names to Lilith?
Names similar to Lilith include Delilah, Lily, Liliana, Lilit (Armenian form), Raven, Sylvia, and Isolde. All share either the night-associated or darkly romantic aesthetic. Lily and Liliana share the Lili- prefix while carrying entirely different etymologies. Among mythology-derived names, Lilith fits alongside Circe, Medea, and Nyx as names from ancient or folkloric traditions that have entered contemporary American use.