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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Do you know any girls with this name?

35 replies

signuptoday · 04/01/2013 13:02

I like the name Lilian and was wondering if anyone knows any little Lilians? Are they usually called Lilian or is it always shortened to Lily? I'm keen to find a classic, timeless name for DD and Lilian seems to fit the bill. It doesn't seem too popular either.

Any thoughts on Lilian would be much appreciated.

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OkayHazel · 05/01/2013 12:53

Lilian from the Rugrats!

GW297 · 04/01/2013 23:58

I've taught one Lillian. She is now 6 and always known as Lilian.

MrsSchadenfreude · 04/01/2013 21:52

Just don't shorten it to Liw.

scottishmummy · 04/01/2013 21:46

I like Lillian it's classic,anyone calls her liliy correct to lilian

penguinplease · 04/01/2013 21:37

I don't agree that the name will inevitably be shortened by others. My daughter has a name that is commonly shortened but she hates the shortened version of it and will not answer to it, her friends don't use it and she has never had a problem when she has told people that she prefers her full name.

strumpetpumpkin · 04/01/2013 21:31

i have an aunt lillian so it makes me think of middle aged women.

WeeWeeWeeAllTheWayHome · 04/01/2013 21:13

Only in the Archers my completely not helpful contribution of the day

But I think it's a lovely name!

CyclesPerfecta · 04/01/2013 21:12

Don't know any Lilians. My colleague is called Liliana, it's a lovely name.

Chottie · 04/01/2013 21:06

The only Lilian I know is my great aunt Lil. A lovely lady who does exquisite embroidery.

acsec · 04/01/2013 21:03

No Lilians at my school, not known any in the 9 years I've been teaching, nor actually any in my life.

VisualiseAHorse · 04/01/2013 21:02

Oh, and I don't know any Lillians but I do know a couple of Lillys.

VisualiseAHorse · 04/01/2013 21:01

I love it, and would've used it - but our surname begins with an L too!

cece · 04/01/2013 20:58

I know a Lillian but she is in her 90s. Everyone calls her Lil.

I would never shorten it to Lily - that is a completely different name to me.

I quite like Jillian too. Jilly for short.

MissPricklePants · 04/01/2013 18:40

there is a Lillian at dd's playgroup, goes by Lillian not Lily. I know lots of Lily's in dd's nursery and friends children.

zenoushka · 04/01/2013 16:19

Lilllian is a really pretty name - I don't know of any although I've got a lot of friends with babies called Lily. Another suggestion would be Liliana which is a very pretty too.

TheOneWithTheHair · 04/01/2013 15:51

There is a Lillian in ds1's nursery class. She's lovely and is known as Lillian. The only confusion is with a William.

salvadory · 04/01/2013 15:48

Yes I went to school with one in the 80's, she'd be 41 now. She was never lily always Lilian. Lovely name.

Startail · 04/01/2013 15:43

No Lillians Only a Lily and a Lilia (not certain of the spelling)

Mandy21 · 04/01/2013 15:34

I agree with the others - voice of experience - as 1st time parent, I loved Isobel but vowed I would never shorten it to Issy / Izzy which I don't like. DD has always had her full name from me, family, made a point with teachers etc but she is now 7 and some of her friends / mums of friends call her Issy. There are only so many times you can correct people, tell her to tell her friends her name isn't Issy.

It'll get shortened whether you like it or not so make sure you like the abbreviated version too!

priscilla101 · 04/01/2013 15:32

Room? Room? Should be too....

priscilla101 · 04/01/2013 15:32

Ah, love Lilian. But also like Lilleth....the first woman in the world, created independently of Adam, but proved to be room much trouble in Eden and was evicted. Eve was created from Adam with the idea that she would be les bother. That worked well then!

Gorgeous name x

rufusnine · 04/01/2013 15:28

No Lilians in our school but at least 6 Lily's so although Lilian is unusual she maybe will be following on the tail of a lot of Lily's IYSWIM. Also although I don't shorten my DC's names - they do get called shortened names by others so you would have to decide whether you like Lily the abbreviated name!

monica77798 · 04/01/2013 15:18

Lilian is a nice name but I am not so sure about Lily. As ChippingInLovesChristmasLights said, people will shorten it to Lily so you need to decide if you like that name as well. I am not aware of anyone called Lilian (apart from the character from Rug Rats LOL), so I don't think it is too common.

sittinginthesun · 04/01/2013 14:12

I know a five year old Lilian, never shortened. It was on my list (we had boys in the end Smile).

hygienequeen · 04/01/2013 14:10

I know a liliane ( French ) shortened to Lili - gorgeous !