Hilary
/ˈhɪl.ə.ri/noun
A male given name and surname, from Latin, meaning cheerful or merry.
Did you know?Hilary ultimately comes from Latin *hilaris*, from Greek *hilaros* (“cheerful”), a root that also gave English **hilarity**—so the name literally carries an old word for bright, lifted spirits.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἱλαρός (hilarós)
“cheerful, merry, kindly disposed”
Classical Latin
Latin
hilaris
“cheerful, merry, joyous”
Late Latin
Latin
Hilarius
“a personal name meaning cheerful or joyous”
Old French
Old French
Hilaire
“a given name borrowed from Latin”
Middle English
English
Hilary
“a masculine given name, later also a surname and occasional feminine given name”
Modern English
English
Hilary
“a given name and surname”
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