NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Trilby

A name of uncertain origin, possibly from the French for a heroine character.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Trilby is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Trilby popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2005 to 2011. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Trilby. 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 2012 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Trilby ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 3 girls were registered as Trilby.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Trilby as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5785

2011

Births in 2011

3

Latest year

Peak year

2005

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Trilby mean?

The name Trilby has its roots in the French language and culture. It originated as a variant of the name Thibault, which is derived from the Germanic name Theudebald, meaning "people-bold" or "bold among the people." This name was popular during the Middle Ages in France and other parts of Europe.

Trilby gained wider recognition and popularity after the publication of the novel "Trilby" by George du Maurier in 1894. The book tells the story of a young woman named Trilby O'Ferrall, a model in an artist's colony in Paris. The character's name was likely chosen by the author for its unique and exotic sound.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Trilby can be found in the 17th century. Trilby Cox was an English actress born in 1663. She was known for her performances in Restoration comedies and was part of the Duke's Company, one of the prominent theater companies of the time.

In the 19th century, Trilby Whitaker (1855-1937) was a British novelist and playwright. She wrote several novels, including "The Windmill on the Dune" and "The Bracegirdle," as well as plays such as "The Idolaters."

Another notable figure with the name Trilby was Trilby Clark (1871-1950), an American vaudeville performer and actress. She appeared in numerous stage productions and silent films during the early 20th century.

Trilby Parker (1929-2022) was an American actress and singer. She had a successful career on Broadway, appearing in musicals such as "Where's Charley?" and "Brigadoon." She also performed in several television shows and films.

Trilby Plant (1898-1980) was a British artist and illustrator. She is best known for her illustrations in children's books, including works by authors like A.A. Milne and Beatrix Potter.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Trilby over time

The chart below shows babies named Trilby registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Trilby, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2011, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Trilby
01223200520082011

Decades

Trilby by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Trilby 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 #5785 3 1
2000s #4798 3 1

Related

Names similar to Trilby

FAQ

Trilby: questions and answers

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

In 2011, Trilby was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Trilby most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 3 babies registered as Trilby in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Trilby?

A name of uncertain origin, possibly from the French for a heroine character.

How many people are called Trilby in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Trilby across the 2 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.