Lilith (given name)

Lilith
Lady Lilith by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1867.
GenderFemale
Language(s)Akkadian from lilû
Origin
Meaningspirit, demon
Other names
Related namesLilit, Lilita, Lillith

Lilith is a feminine given name sometimes given in reference to Lilith, a character in Jewish folklore who was said to be the first wife of the first man Adam who disobeyed him, was banished from the Garden of Eden, and who became a mythical she-demon. The mythological tale has inspired modern feminists.

It was also the name of Lilith Fair, a concert tour and traveling music festival from 1997 to 1999 that featured only female artists and female-led bands.

Lilith and Black Moon Lilith are placements in modern astrology that are said to represent women's liberation.

Its similarity in sound to the etymologically unrelated, popular name Lily might also have increased awareness of the name. Other names starting with the letter L as well as mythological names have been well used by new parents in recent years.

Lillith is a spelling variant. Other variants include the Armenian Lilit and the Latvian Lilita.