Tilly
Tilly is a feminine given name or nickname, and a surname. As a female given name or nickname, is generally a variant/diminutive for the Germanic name Matilda.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Tilly
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Tilly is a feminine given name or nickname, and a surname. As a female given name or nickname, is generally a variant/diminutive for the Germanic name Matilda.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Tilly
American parents first put Tilly on the record books as a baby girl name in 1912, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 295 Tillys were born — ranking #905 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 58% of all recorded Tillys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #905 among baby girl names with 295 births, rising sharply (+69% over the past five years). In total, more than 3K Tillys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Tilly
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Tilly. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Tilly
Phonetically similar names — useful when Tilly is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tilly
What does the name Tilly mean?
What is the origin of the name Tilly?
How popular is Tilly in 2026?
When was Tilly most popular?
In which U.S. states is Tilly most popular?
Is Tilly a unisex name?
What names go well with Tilly?
What are nicknames or variants of Tilly?
About the name Tilly
Tilly is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Tilly's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #905. Use the chart and map above to compare Tilly's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.