Given name & surname
Tillie
“one who is mighty in battle”·“the power of the people”
In English use, Tillie is an affectionate form of Matilda. One German interpretation is “one who is mighty in battle.” Tillie is a variant of Till. In German use, Till carries the interpretation “the power of the people.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Tillie is an affectionate form of Matilda. One German interpretation is “one who is mighty in battle.” Tillie is a variant of Till. In German use, Till carries the interpretation “the power of the people.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Tillie is an affectionate form of Matilda. A possible origin is Germanic, although the derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Tillie is a diminutive of Matilda.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Tillie is an affectionate form of Matilda. The history of Matilda gives this family its wider story. Use of Matilda was revived during the 18th century.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Tillie through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 15,765
- 27 boys · 15,738 girls
- Most popular year
- 1915
- 505 babies
- 2025
- 177
- #1,269 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +91%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 177 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,269 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 90.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 499 in 1915. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (15). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,389 as a first name in 2020; 420 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Tillie’s family of names
In English usage, Tillie is a diminutive of Matilda. Tillie has a related form in Tilly. Tillie is an affectionate form of Matilda.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Tillie
- Tillie OlsenAmerican writer (1912–2007)
- Maia arson crimewSwiss hacker (born 1999)
- Tillie WaldenAmerican cartoonistborn 1996
- Tillie FowlerAmerican congresswoman (1942–2005)
- Tillie MartinussenDanish politicianborn 1980
- Tillie Andersoncyclist (1875-1965)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Tillie, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Goldie
“gold”
>99% girls
Jennie
“one who is fair; a beautiful girl”
>99% girls
Lottie
“a small, strong woman” · “free man”
>99% girls
Lennie
“having the strength of a lion”
12% boys · 88% girls
Inez
“one who is pure; chaste”
1% boys · 99% girls
Sybil
“a prophetess; a seer”
>99% girls
Mildred
“woman of gentle strength”
>99% girls
Winifred
“peaceful friend” · “fair; white-skinned”
>99% girls