Lilla

Lilla is often regarded as a pet form of Elisabeth, whose roots trace back to the names Elisheva or Elischeba.

What does the name Lilla mean?

The name Lilla is considered a child-friendly short form of Elisabeth, tracing back to the Ancient Hebrew language. Its meanings are 'God is fullness' and 'God is my oath'. The name originates from the Ancient Hebrew word ʾĕlı̂ysheba' (אֱלִישֶׁבַע), which is composed of the elements ʾēl (אֵל), meaning 'God', and shéva' or shava' (שֶׁבַע), meaning 'oath', 'vow', or 'seven' (symbolically for fullness). Additionally, Lilla is a Nordic short form of Lillemor, which means 'the little mother'. This origin can be traced back to the Old Swedish words lilla for 'small' and mor for 'mother'. The name is also often used as a pet form for little girls, such as Lilla Ida, the character from Astrid Lindgren's stories about 'Michel from Lönneberga'. Furthermore, Lilla was coined as a Hungarian 'art name' when the poet Mihály Csokonai Vitéz named his beloved (actually Julianna) 'Lilla' in his poems. The name appears in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible: in the Old Testament, it is mentioned as the name of Aaron's wife 'Elisheva', while in the New Testament, Elisabeth is the mother of John the Baptist, and the name is also attributed to the wife of the priest Zechariah. Elisabeth and its many variants are among the most common first names worldwide. Other forms include Lil, Lili, Lill, Lilli, Lilly, Lyli, Lylli, Lillan, Lillana, Lillen, Lilo, Lilou, and Lilu.

Where does the name Lilla come from?

Lilla has its roots in both Ancient Hebrew and Old Swedish, meaning 'God is fullness'. The Ancient Hebrew components come from Elisabeth: ʾēl (אֵל) for 'God' and shéva' or shava' (שֶׁבַע) for 'oath', 'vow', or 'seven' (the number of fullness). In Old Swedish, the name comes from Lillemor: lilla for 'small' and mor for 'mother'. The languages in which the name appears include Bavarian, Italian, Austrian, Sicilian, and Hungarian.

How do you pronounce Lilla?

The pronunciation of Lilla is soft and two-syllable. In German, it is usually pronounced as 'LIL-la' [ˈlɪla]. The name begins with a short I sound, giving it a fresh note. The double 'l' creates a gentle density in the middle of the name. The open ending '-a' sounds bright and friendly. Overall, Lilla conveys a playful and harmonious impression - light, clear, and with a delicate radiance.

When is the name day of Lilla?

The name day for Lilla is celebrated on November 19.

Popularity

In Germany, Lilla enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 1,921st in the list of the most common female first names. Its best placement was in 2016, reaching 1,299th place. In the last ten years, Lilla has been given as a first name about 170 times, placing it 1,774th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,823rd.

Nicknames & pet names

Lillatschka / Lilli / Lillu / Lilu

Similar first names

Famous people

• Kerris Lilla Dorsey (American actress)
• Lilla Barzo (Tennis player from Hungary)
• Lilla Bodor (Hungarian artist)
• Lilla Brignone (Italian actress)
• Lilla Cabot Perry (Artist from America)
• Lilla Crawford (Actress from America)
• Lilla Georgine Hansen (Architect)
• Lilla Löwe (German theater actress)
• Lilla Nagy (Hungarian footballer)
• Lilla Polgár (Hungarian singer)
• Lilla Polyák (Musical performer)
• Lilla Sipos (Hungarian footballer)
• Lilla von Puttkamer (German painter)