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Hilary (name)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hilary
GenderUnisex
Origin
Word/nameGreek and Latin
MeaningCheerful, happy
Other names
Alternative spellingHillary
Related namesHillary, Hilario, Hilarion, Hilarius, Ilaria, Ilario, Ilarion, Illarion

Hilary, Hilarie or Hillary is a given name and surname, derived from the Latin hilarius meaning "cheerful", from hilaris, "cheerful, merry",[1] which comes from the Greek ἱλαρός (hilaros), "cheerful, merry",[2] which in turn comes from ἵλαος (hilaos), "propitious, gracious".[3] Ilaria is the popular Italian feminine form, while Ilario is the Italian masculine one. Other male forms are Hilarion, Ilarion, and Illarion.

In the 1990s and first few decades of the twenty-first century, the name was strongly associated in the United States with Hillary Clinton. Its popularity for newborn American girls dropped rapidly during the beginning of her husband's presidency of the United States.[4][5][6]

Notable men with the given name

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Notable women with the given name

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People with this family name

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Fictional characters

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ hilaris, Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, on Perseus
  2. ^ ἱλαρός, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  3. ^ ἵλαος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  4. ^ Parker, Hilary (2013-01-30). "Hilary: the most poisoned baby name in US history". Hilary Parker. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  5. ^ Ingraham, Christopher (2021-11-25). "The Clintons ruined the name 'Hillary' for new parents". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  6. ^ "Hillary - Baby Name Meaning, Origin, and Popularity". Nameberry. Retrieved 2023-11-16.