Tilian
A diminutive form of Anatolian names like Attilia or Tullia.
Name Census estimates that about 175 living Americans carry the first name Tilian. It is a predominantly male name (97.2% of registrations). The average person named Tilian today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tilian births was 2020 (35 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tilian. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Tilian with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
175
~ 1 in 1,958,596 Americans
Peak year
2020
35 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,880
Tracked since 2015
Gender
Gender distribution for Tilian
Tilian leans heavily male at 97.2% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Tilian as a male name
- Ranked #8,880 in 2024
- 9 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (35 births)
Tilian as a female name
- Ranked #17,742 in 2019
- 5 female births in 2019
- Peak: 2019 (5 births)
Popularity
Tilian: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tilian from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 108 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tilian by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Tilian during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tilians live
Origin
Meaning and history of Tilian
The given name Tilian originates from the ancient Etruscan civilization, which flourished in what is now modern-day Italy between the 8th and 3rd centuries BCE. It is derived from the Etruscan word "Tili," which translates to "blossom" or "flower." This suggests that the name may have been associated with fertility, growth, and new beginnings in the Etruscan culture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tilian can be found in the Etruscan inscriptions found in the necropolis of Cerveteri, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located near Rome. These inscriptions date back to the 6th century BCE and provide valuable insights into the naming traditions and language of the Etruscan people.
The name Tilian gained further prominence during the Roman era, as the Etruscan culture heavily influenced ancient Roman society. Several notable Romans bore this name, including Tilian Cornelius, a prominent senator and orator who lived during the 1st century BCE.
In the Middle Ages, the name Tilian experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in Italy and other parts of Europe. One notable figure from this period was Tilian of Tournai, a 12th-century Benedictine monk and ecclesiastical writer who authored several works on theology and philosophy.
During the Renaissance, the name Tilian was associated with the arts and intellectual pursuits. Tilian Fiammingo, born in 1470, was a renowned Flemish painter and sculptor who worked in Italy and is known for his contributions to the Mannerist style.
In the 19th century, Tilian Rampoldi (1804-1879) was an Italian writer and journalist who played a significant role in the Risorgimento movement, which aimed to unify the various states of the Italian peninsula into a single nation.
Another notable figure with the name Tilian was Tilian Sernander (1884-1973), a Swedish botanist and plant ecologist who made significant contributions to the study of plant communities and their development over time.
While the name Tilian has roots in ancient Etruscan culture, it has endured through various historical periods and cultural contexts, transcending its original linguistic and geographical boundaries. The name's associations with nature, creativity, and intellectual pursuits have contributed to its enduring appeal and historical significance.
People
Tilian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tilian as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Tilian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tilian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 175 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tilian going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,958,596 US residents.
Is Tilian a common name?
We classify Tilian as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 176 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tilian most popular?
The single biggest year for Tilian was 2020, when 35 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tilian is about 6 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Tilian in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tilian a male name?
Yes, 97.2% of people registered as Tilian in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Tilian still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tilian in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Tilian can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Tilian?
Find out how many Americans are named Tilian on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.