girl's name
Tilly
TIL-ee
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 15,839
the United States
#886
2025 births
Tilly is a girl's name of Germanic origin meaning "mighty in battle." It is a pet form of Matilda, from maht, might, and hild, battle — one of the more forceful meanings in common use.
- Tilly is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in England and Wales in 2009, when 703 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in England and Wales.
- Today about 1 in 1,996 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1996.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Tilly over time
Births per decade in England and Wales, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 555 |
| 2000s | 4,484 |
| 2010s | 4,894 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,855 |
What Tilly means
Tilly means mighty in battle, inherited from Matilda. Both halves of the parent name are martial, which sits oddly with how gentle the diminutive sounds.
Where Tilly comes from
Tilly shortens Matilda, from the Germanic Mahthildis — maht, might, and hild, battle. Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror, brought it to England, and her granddaughter the Empress Matilda fought a nineteen-year civil war for the English throne. Medieval English wore Matilda down to Maud, so Maud and Tilly descend from one name by different routes. Tilly is also a pet form of Ottilie, which is separately on this site and has an entirely different meaning — wealth rather than battle.
Tilly in use
Our data shows Tilly rising and it first appears in our records in 1996. Matilda, its parent, sits at 19 in England and Wales and is also climbing — the two rising together, which is less common in our data than a pet form returning alone.
How popular is Tilly?
In 2025, Tilly was given to 264 babies in England and Wales, ranking #194 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Tilly is used
Figures for England and Wales withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Tilly
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Tilly also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Tilly over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Tilly in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Tilly
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Tilly — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Tilly
What does the name Tilly mean?
Tilly means "mighty in battle," from the Germanic maht, might, and hild, battle, by way of Matilda.
Is Tilly short for Matilda?
Usually, and also for Ottilie — which has a completely different meaning, wealth rather than battle.
Are Maud and Tilly related?
Yes. Both descend from Matilda — Maud by medieval wearing-down, Tilly as a pet form.
How popular is the name Tilly?
In 2025, Tilly was given to 264 babies in England and Wales, ranking #194 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Is Tilly a girl's or a boy's name?
Tilly is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Tilly?
Tilly has 2 syllables.
When was Tilly most popular?
Tilly peaked in 2009, when 703 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Tilly a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Tilly currently ranks #155 in England and Wales. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.