Fun Facts About the Name Tilia
- 132 babies named Tilia: U.S. records list 132 babies given the name Tilia from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Tilia Mean?
Tilia is the Latin noun for the linden tree, and that is the meaning usually given to it as a name: "linden tree." The word tilia names the tree in classical Latin, and botanical Latin keeps it as the genus Tilia, the lindens (called lime trees in British English, with no connection to the citrus fruit).
A second and less certain explanation treats Tilia as a spelling of Tilla, a German short form of Ottilie, which goes back to the Germanic name Odilia and an element meaning "wealth" or "fortune." The two words look alike but come from different languages, and no established link between them is recorded.
Tilia Name History & Origins
Tilia has no long documented history as a personal name. It is not part of the traditional stock of saints' names or medieval European given names, and where it is used today it is generally understood as a direct borrowing of the Latin tree word rather than the survival of an older name.
The Latin word itself is old. It named the linden in Roman times, and the tree later carried strong associations in central and northern Europe, where the German Linde stood in village centers and linden groves were linked with assemblies and courts. Those associations attach to the tree and to the Germanic word lind / Linde, which is not derived from Latin tilia; the Germanic and Latin words for the linden are separate, though they name the same tree.
The German short form Tilla, a diminutive of Ottilie, has its own separate history. If some instances of Tilia are simply spellings of that name, they belong to a different tradition, and the available evidence does not settle which source lies behind any particular use.
How Popular is the Name Tilia?
Tilia has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2016. Its best rank was #10,050 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,050 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #11,080 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #10,324 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #14,939 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #10,414 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #12,631 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #10,056 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #12,914 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #10,888 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #13,052 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #19,308 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #13,254 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #16,821 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #11,356 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #13,499 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #12,259 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Tilia Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You like to control everyone within your influence, to shape things to your own liking. If positive, you develop high spirituality, as you have a God's protection. You are sensitive, affectionate, imaginative and cooperative, spiritually aware and prone to self-sacrifice. You can keep secrets and are a good diplomat. You may have healing and psychic powers. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Tilia's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Tilia's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.