Tilly

Tilly represents an English-Welsh short form of the name Mathilde or Mathilda, which has its origin in the Germanic Mahthilt.

What does the name Tilly mean?

The name Tilly, as an English-Welsh pet form of Mathilde or Mathilda, translates to 'the mighty warrior woman' or 'the strong heroine'. The origin of the name is based on the Old High German words maht, which means 'power', 'mighty', 'strength', or 'force', and hiltja, which stands for 'battle', 'warrior', 'hero', or 'champion'. Tilly is also frequently used as a diminutive of Ottilie or Ottilia. The name became known through Saint Mathilde, who was the wife of Henry I. Other variants include Tilda, Tilde, Tilla, Tillie, and Tilli.

Where does the name Tilly come from?

The etymology of Tilly is Old High German and means 'the mighty warrior woman'. The Old High German components maht (power, mighty, strength, force) and hiltja (battle, warrior, hero, champion) form the basis of the name. Tilly is used in the languages English and Welsh.

How do you pronounce Tilly?

The pronunciation of Tilly is lively and consists of two syllables. It is pronounced as 'Til-ly' [ˈtɪli], with the double consonant creating a clear separation. The short vowel conveys freshness and directness, while the ending '-ly' sounds soft and friendly. These features give Tilly a playful, modern character – present, light, and likable.

When is the name day of Tilly?

The name day for Tilly falls on March 14.

Popularity

In Germany, Tilly enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 989th on the list of the most common female first names. In the last ten years, Tilly has been given as a first name about 210 times, placing it 1,531st in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,769th. The global popularity of Tilly is reflected in its rankings in various countries.

Nicknames & pet names

Lilly / Ly / Ti / Til / Till / Tille / Ty

Famous people

• Tilly Armstrong (British writer)
• Tilly Bagshawe (writer from England)
• Tilly Boesche-Zacharow (writer)
• Tilly Fleischer (athlete from Germany)
• Tilly Fleischmann (Irish pianist)
• Tilly Greene (writer from the USA)
• Tilly Horn (from Das Supertalent)
• Tilly Key (French singer)
• Tilly Kutschera (Austrian actress)
• Tilly Losch (Austrian ballet dancer)
• Tilly Moses (mountaineer from Germany)
• Tilly van der Zwaard (Dutch sprinter)
• Tilly Vosburgh (South African actress)
• Tilly Walker (American baseball player)
• Tilly Wedekind (German actress)