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Original poster

Ottilie shortened to Tilly.....feedback please?

39 replies

K8ster · 17/05/2012 08:53

I like the name Tilly and was thinking Matilda but recently came across Ottilie, now I am confused!

Please let me know your thoughts.

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Pixieonthemoor · 07/03/2013 18:44

Love it! It was in my top 3 for our dd!!

SilentMammoth · 06/03/2013 04:33

Just read that link to Ottoline; that is one badly written article!

Ottilie lovely, but why would you shorten it to Tillym which is blahh beyond belief?

Stixswhichtwizzle · 04/03/2013 23:08

I like it.

mayanna123 · 04/03/2013 19:38

Ottilie is lovely! (would be a shame to shorte to Tilly imo)

scarlettsmummy2 · 04/03/2013 19:20

My second daughters middle name is Ottilie. I would have preferred to use it as her first name but my husband wasn't convinced! I love it but am not fussed on Tilly.

Cornwall73 · 04/03/2013 19:09

My mum's name was Otilia (Spanish) and she was known as Tilly

Teapig · 04/03/2013 19:07

I love the name Ottilie. It was on our list and I'd have used the nn Tily but my SIL has a Lilly and it just seemed too close. I don't like Ottoline as mentioned in the article linked to further up but Ottilie/Tily is lovely.

outtaleftfield · 04/03/2013 17:37

My name is Ottilie, and for the last 46 years it has been either shortened to Ottie or Ots. It is a great name and I have always loved it!

DolomitesDonkey · 28/08/2012 15:56

Wot Erik said - never, ever have I imagined this could be shortened to Tilly, it just isn't pronounced as such.

Arabellasmella · 28/08/2012 14:16

I really liker Ottilie. Not big on Tilly though. If I had a Matilda, I'd call her Mattie!

prelim29 · 28/08/2012 13:16

To add to this fairly old thread, my DD is Ottilie - she's in her early 20's now and has been known as Tilly since birth. We called her Ottilie as it was such a pretty name and we thought she might outgrow Tilly. When she was born almost all opinion was that it was an 'utterly' silly name. She loves both names, incidentally.

Stellan · 18/05/2012 15:56

I thought it was pronounced ott-tee-lee-uh in a Germanic sort of way. Hopefully one of our German-speaking name enthusiasts can clear it up though! It is likely to be pronounced otterly (ie like Cecily) in the UK and I'm not really sure why it would need shortening!

I prefer Matilda but Ottilie is lovely too. Tilly seems like a fairly logical nickname for either name.

Stellan · 18/05/2012 15:56

I thought it was pronounced ott-tee-lee-uh in a Germanic sort of way. Hopefully one of our German-speaking name enthusiasts can clear it up though! It is likely to be pronounced otterly (ie like Cecily) in the UK and I'm not really sure why it would need shortening!

I prefer Matilda but Ottilie is lovely too. Tilly seems like a fairly logical nickname for either name.

Lunarlyte · 18/05/2012 14:56

I mean, about the shortening to Tilly. I think Matilda would be easier to live with than Ottillie, but I like both names :)

Lunarlyte · 18/05/2012 14:52

Yeah, why not?!

LetThereBeCupcakes · 18/05/2012 09:31

Oh wow, I love Ottilie. I actually don't know any Tillys - obviously not popular around here. Wouldn't bother me if it was though! If you like it, go with it!

upsidewide · 17/05/2012 23:49

It's a beautiful name Smile

I like Ottie as well as Tilly as a nickname

MrsAmaretto · 17/05/2012 23:39

But ErikNorseman, does your point matter if the child is going to be called Tilly? The choice of names is only for paperwork or if she wants a different name when she's older

ErikNorseman · 17/05/2012 21:33

Ok German - that might shoot my argument down somewhat. My point was that lovely names that sound beautiful in certain accents can sound completely dull and ruined in an English accent.

sonniboo · 17/05/2012 21:18

Ottilie is actually a German name, the female version of Otto. In German it is pronounced Ott-ee-lye.

I thought the French and English pronunciation was the same though.

ErikNorseman · 17/05/2012 21:04

Ottilie is a french name. If you don't have a french accent then it is crap. Nothing worse than a raucous english voice squawking Ottilie/Amelie/whatever. Just don't.

MoonHare · 17/05/2012 17:15

Not sure about Ottilie, I'd never heard it before about a year ago and really thought the woman had said her daughter was called Otterly, which left me Confused until I saw it written down on MN. Whenever I see it now all I can think of is otters!

Matilda is much nicer imo and as 'ee' ending nicknames go (of which I am not a fan) Tilly is among the better ones.

sonniboo · 17/05/2012 15:38

Why would you shorten a lovely underused name like Ottilie to such a common and overused nickname like Tilly?!

Also, I'd pronounce Ottilie with the emphasis on the Ott part, not the tilie part, so more likely to shorten to Ottie, if at all.

PorkyandBess · 17/05/2012 12:05

I love Ottilie, but Tilly is too common imo.

I know 3 Tillys and 1 Tilda

lancelottie · 17/05/2012 10:47

I know a Charlotte Elizabeth known as Tilly!

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