NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Tilli

A feminine name of German origin meaning "joyous or linden tree".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Tilli is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Tilli popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4063, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 12 births.

This profile covers 116 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 1997 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 42% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 115 living people in the UK are called Tilli. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Tilli ranked #4063 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 12 girls were registered as Tilli.
  • About 115 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tilli as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4063

2017

Births in 2017

5

Latest year

Peak year

2008

12 births

Estimated living

115

2026

Meaning

What does Tilli mean?

The given name Tilli has its origins in the Finnish language and culture. It is a diminutive form of the name Tilda, which is derived from the Germanic name Mathilde, meaning "mighty battle". The name Tilli likely emerged during the Middle Ages in Finland, where it was used as a shortened version of Tilda or Matilda.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tilli can be found in the Finnish epic poem Kalevala, which dates back to the 19th century. In this work, Tilli is mentioned as a character who represents the personification of the moon.

Historically, the name Tilli has been borne by several notable individuals. One such person was Tilli Hewitt (1892-1974), an American actress and singer who performed on Broadway and in vaudeville shows in the early 20th century.

Another prominent figure with this name was Tilli Breidenbach (1909-1995), a German painter and printmaker who was part of the expressionist movement in art. Her works often depicted scenes from everyday life and were characterized by bold colors and expressive brushstrokes.

In the field of literature, Tilli Schulze (1904-1994) was a German author and journalist who wrote several novels and short stories, as well as works for children and young adults. Her writing often explored themes of family relationships and social issues.

Tilli Williams (1919-2005) was an Australian author and journalist who wrote several books on Australian history and culture, including biographies and works on Indigenous Australians.

Additionally, Tilli Merritt (1929-2016) was an American lawyer and civil rights activist who fought for racial equality and women's rights. She played a significant role in the desegregation of schools in Mississippi during the 1960s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Tilli over time

The chart below shows babies named Tilli registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Tilli, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2017, compared with 12 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Tilli
036912199720072017

Decades

Tilli by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tilli was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #3843 40 7
2000s #2729 67 9
1990s #3857 9 3

Related

Names similar to Tilli

FAQ

Tilli: questions and answers

How popular is the name Tilli in the UK right now?

In 2017, Tilli was ranked #4063 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Tilli most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 12 babies registered as Tilli in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Tilli?

A feminine name of German origin meaning "joyous or linden tree".

How many people are called Tilli in the UK?

A total of 116 babies have been registered as Tilli across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.