| Avery | Lily | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Ruler of elves | Lily |
| Origin | English | english |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | AY-vuh-ree | LIL-ee |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1890 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2014 (9,578) | 2011 (8,192) |
| In 2025 | 5,267 | 6,673 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Avery | Lily |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 36,617 | 35,872 |
| 2010s | 82,921 | 68,316 |
| 2000s | 41,706 | 56,186 |
| 1990s | 6,697 | 9,772 |
| 1980s | 952 | 2,708 |
| 1970s | 318 | 1,220 |
| 1960s | 168 | 1,148 |
| 1950s | 149 | 1,426 |
| 1940s | 112 | 1,511 |
| 1930s | 79 | 2,229 |
| 1920s | 151 | 3,757 |
| 1910s | 93 | 2,795 |
| 1900s | 37 | 1,045 |
| 1890s | 6 | 979 |
| 1880s | 0 | 680 |
Avery comes from an English surname derived from the Germanic Alberic, “elf ruler.” Once a boy’s name, it is now popular for girls.
IS a bloom word: from the flower name, which derives from Latin 'lilium' (lily). The lily is a traditional symbol of purity.
Lily is more popular than Avery today: about 6,673 US babies were given the name Lily in 2025, compared with 5,267 named Avery.
Avery means Ruler of elves (English origin), while Lily means Lily (english origin).
In US records, Avery first appears in 1890 and Lily in 1880, so Lily has the longer recorded history.