How popular is the baby name Lilja in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Lilja.

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Popularity of the baby name Lilja


Posts that mention the name Lilja

Popular baby names in Finland, 2020

Flag of Finland
Flag of Finland

According to the Finnish Digital Agency, the most popular baby names in the country last year were Aino and Leo.

Here are Finland’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2020:

Girl Names

  1. Aino, 276 baby girls
  2. Olivia, 252
  3. Sofia, 244
  4. Pihla, 239
  5. Aada, 237
  6. Eevi, 227
  7. Isla, 226
  8. Lilja, 220
  9. Helmi, 216
  10. Ellen and Ella, 206 each (tie)

Boy Names

  1. Leo, 356 baby boys
  2. Eino, 335
  3. Oliver, 326
  4. Elias, 323
  5. Onni, 308
  6. Väinö, 281
  7. Noel, 264
  8. Eeli, 228
  9. Toivo, 224
  10. Leevi, 207

In the girls’ top 10, Pihla and Isla replaced Emilia. (The name Pihla is based on the Finnish word pihlaja, meaning “rowan tree.”)

In the boys’ top 10, Toivo replaced Hugo.

Among Finland’s Swedish-speakers (about 5% of the population) the top baby names were Ellen and Emil.

In 2019, the top two names in Finland were also Aino and Leo.

Sources: Suosituimmat Etunimet (“Most Popular First Names”), Pihla – Behind the Name

Image: Adapted from Flag of Finland (public domain)

Popular baby names in Finland, 2019

Flag of Finland
Flag of Finland

According to Finland’s Digital and Population Data Services Agency, the most popular baby names in the country last year were Aino and Leo.

Here are Finland’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2019:

Girl Names

  1. Aino, 278 baby girls
  2. Aada, 271
  3. Sofia, 255
  4. Eevi, 254
  5. Olivia, 246
  6. Lilja, 238
  7. Helmi, 236
  8. Ellen, 228
  9. Emilia, 223
  10. Ella, 220

Boy Names

  1. Leo, 380 baby boys
  2. Elias, 344
  3. Oliver, 332
  4. Eino, 318
  5. Väinö, 310
  6. Eeli, 267
  7. Noel, 259
  8. Leevi, 249
  9. Onni, 241
  10. Hugo, 195

The top girl name, Aino — rhymes with rhino — means “the only one.” It’s a poetic variant of the Finnish word ainoa, meaning “only” or “sole.” The name was invented by writer Elias Lönnrot for a character in the 19th-century Finnish epic poem the Kalevala. Originally, the character had been nameless and referred to simply as “the only daughter” (aino tyttönen) or “the only sister” (aino sisko).

In the girls’ top 10, Lilja, Ellen, and Emilia replaced Venla, Emma, and Isla.

In the boys’ top 10, Hugo replaced Niilo.

Among Finland’s Swedish-speakers (5% to 6% of the total population) the top baby names are Saga and Emil.

The top two names in Finland were the same (Aino and Leo) back in 2017, but they changed to Eevi and Eeli in 2018.

Sources: Names – Digital and Population Data Services Agency, Aino (mythology) – Wikipedia, Aino – Wiktionary

Image: Adapted from Flag of Finland (public domain)

Popular baby names in Finland, 2018

Flag of Finland
Flag of Finland

According to the Population Register Centre of Finland (Väestörekisterikeskus), the most popular baby names in the country in 2018 were Eevi and Eeli.

Here are Finland’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2018:

Girl Names

  1. Eevi, 304 baby girls
  2. Sofia, 265
  3. Venla, 252
  4. Ella, 248
  5. Aino, 247
  6. Aada, 244
  7. Helmi, 237
  8. Emma, 230
  9. Olivia, 227
  10. Isla, 224

Boy Names

  1. Eeli, 404 baby boys
  2. Elias, 388
  3. Leo, 365
  4. Oliver, 330
  5. Eino, 317
  6. Väinö, 281
  7. Onni, 278
  8. Leevi, 245
  9. Niilo, 214
  10. Noel, 207

In the girls’ top 10, Olivia and Isla replaced Lilja, Elli, and Enni. (Two replace three because there was a tie for 10th last year.)

In the boys’ top 10, Eeli — which wasn’t even in the top 10 in 2017 — replaced Eetu. My best guess on the sudden popularity of Eeli is young hockey player Eeli Tolvanen (pronounced EY-leh TOLL-vah-nen).

Among Finland’s Swedish-speakers (between 5% and 6% of the total population) the top baby names were Saga and William.

And in 2017, the top names in Finland overall were Aino and Leo.

Sources: Eevi ja Eeli ovat vuoden 2018 suosikkinimet, Nimet – Väestörekisterikeskus, Etunimitilasto 2018 suomenkieliset (PDF)

Image: Adapted from Flag of Finland (public domain)

Popular baby names in Iceland, 2018

Flag of Iceland
Flag of Iceland

According to Registers Iceland, the most popular baby names in the country in 2018 were Embla and Aron.

Here are Iceland’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2018:

Girl Names

  1. Embla, 26 baby girls
  2. Emilía, 24
  3. Freyja, 23
  4. Hekla, 23
  5. Sara, 23
  6. Lilja, 21
  7. Hanna, 19
  8. Alexandra, 18
  9. Anna, 18
  10. Katla, 18

Boy Names

  1. Aron, 51 baby boys
  2. Alexander, 37
  3. Emil, 32
  4. Kári, 31
  5. Viktor, 31
  6. Óliver, 28
  7. Guðmundur, 27
  8. Jökull, 26
  9. Mikael, 25
  10. Jón, 23

Many of these names have equivalent English forms, but several do not, such as…

  • Embla – possibly based on the Old Norse word almr, meaning “elm.” Not to be confused with Engla.
  • Hekla – based on the Old Norse word hekla, meaning “cloak.” Also the name of an active volcano.
  • Katla – based on the Old Norse word ketill, meaning “(sacrificial) cauldron.”
  • Kári – based on the Old Norse word kárr, meaning either “curly (hair)” or “obstinate.”
  • Guðmundur – based on the Old Norse elements gud, meaning either “god” or “good,” and mund, meaning “protection.”
  • Jökull – means “glacier, ice” in Icelandic.

I didn’t post 2017 rankings for Iceland, but in 2016 the top two names were Emilía and Alexander.

Sources: Aron and Hekla Most Popular Baby Names, Aron And Hekla Iceland’s Most Popular Names Of 2018, Nafngjafir 2018 (January), Nafngjafir – leiðrétting (March), Nordic Names

Image: Adapted from Flag of Iceland (public domain)