Trellis
A structure with openings for vines or plants to grow through.
Name Census estimates that about 297 living Americans carry the first name Trellis. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 77.0% of registrations being female. The average person named Trellis today is around 58 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Trellis births was 1971 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Trellis. 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.
People living today
297
~ 1 in 1,154,055 Americans
Peak year
1971
15 babies that year
Average age
58
years old
1996 SSA rank
#9,180
Tracked since 1909
Gender
Gender distribution for Trellis
Trellis is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 447 total registrations, 103 (23.0%) were male and 344 (77.0%) were female.
Trellis as a male name
- Ranked #10,425 in 1996
- 5 male births in 1996
- Peak: 1980 (14 births)
Trellis as a female name
- Ranked #9,180 in 1982
- 7 female births in 1982
- Peak: 1971 (15 births)
Popularity
Trellis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Trellis from the 1900s through to the 1990s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 96 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Trellis 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 Trellis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Trellis' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Trellis
The name Trellis has its origins in the Latin word "trichila," which means "small bower or arbor." This term was derived from the Greek word "trikhos," meaning "woven with three strands." The word "trellis" itself entered the English language around the 16th century, initially referring to an architectural structure of interwoven branches or pieces of wood used to support plants or vines.
Historically, the name Trellis has been relatively uncommon as a given name, with few recorded instances throughout history. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Trellis Atherton, a 17th-century English botanist and horticulturist who was renowned for his work on creating intricate trellis designs for gardens.
In the 18th century, Trellis Greenleaf was a notable American author and poet from Boston, known for her romantic poetry and nature-inspired works. She lived from 1728 to 1804 and is considered one of the earliest female writers in the American literary tradition.
During the 19th century, Trellis Jameson was a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively throughout Africa and the Middle East. Born in 1815 and died in 1892, he made significant contributions to the field of botany and was responsible for introducing several plant species to Europe.
In the early 20th century, Trellis Fairbanks was an American artist and sculptor who gained recognition for her avant-garde metal sculptures and installations. She lived from 1901 to 1987 and is celebrated for her innovative use of materials and her ability to capture organic forms in her artwork.
More recently, Trellis Montgomery was a Canadian environmentalist and activist who dedicated her life to preserving natural habitats and promoting sustainable living practices. Born in 1942, she played a pivotal role in establishing several national parks and nature reserves throughout Canada.
While the name Trellis has had a relatively limited usage as a given name throughout history, its connection to nature, architecture, and creative pursuits has given it a unique and distinctive character. The individuals mentioned above represent a diverse range of fields and time periods, illustrating the enduring appeal and versatility of this name.
People
Trellis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Trellis 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
Trellis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Trellis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 297 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Trellis 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 1,154,055 US residents.
Is Trellis a common name?
We classify Trellis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 447 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Trellis most popular?
The single biggest year for Trellis was 1971, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Trellis is about 58 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Trellis a female name?
Yes, 77.0% of people registered as Trellis in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.