Hilary

Happy Hilary means just that: “cheerful”. The given name Hilary was first popularized in the Middle Ages as a gender-neutral name, derived from the Old Roman name “Hilarius” from the Latin “hilaris” meaning “of good cheer”. The Latins borrowed the word from the Greek ‘Ιλαρος (Hilaros) meaning the same. St. Hilarius of Poitiers, Gaul (present-day France) was a 4th century saint later named one of the 35 Doctors of the Church for his written theological contributions. St. Hilary was well-known and highly respected throughout Europe in the Early Middle Ages, even extending up to England. It was he who influenced the long-enduring usage of his name. Adding further religious currency was a 5th century Pope, also named Hilarius. Naming children after important Biblical characters, saints and popes was the de-facto trend in medieval times, practically a law. Times were precarious back then (plagues, famines, infant mortality rates), so parents needed all the protection they could get. When we look at names that have persisted since the Middle Ages, we can look confidently for a saint. Many, many of the names we use today are owed to this fact. Because St. Hilary was especially revered in medieval England, the name spread among English-speaking people. Eventually its usage waned, but Hilary was revived more recently in the 20th century – this time for baby girls.