Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Tilly Kate?

82 replies

elm26 · 12/12/2022 13:01

My DH and I have settled on Tilly for our little girl.

My Nan and Grandad raised me and I miss them both dearly, my Nan's name was Cathleen however my Gramps called her "his Kate" so o was thinking of Tilly Kate as a nod to them both.

Do you think it goes?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Moodhasplummeted · 15/12/2022 17:21

I really like Tilly OP. Mumsnet will never be keen on a nickname as a full name but plenty of children have them these days.
Tilly Kate is lovely. Aria Kate is also nice.

AntiqueCestChic · 14/12/2022 20:27

I much prefer Aria to Tilly.

Tilly is too cutesy for me - would suit a toddler but not an adult. Aria would work for all ages!

fairycupcakes · 14/12/2022 20:05

Aria is lovely. I really love Kate though, it sounds really fresh to me. What about Kate Aria?

ShillyShallySherbet · 13/12/2022 21:45

Natalie Cathleen
Matilda Kate
Tilly Cathleen

Not so keen on Tilly Kate. Two nicknames.

My immediate thought was Firefly Lane, although that’s Tully and Kate!

Luredbyapomegranate · 13/12/2022 21:32

Aria is a lot better than Tilly.

Aria Kate is grand

Luredbyapomegranate · 13/12/2022 21:31

Theoldwoman · 12/12/2022 13:15

Tilly is a bit, well silly to me esp for a grown woman!

I do however love Kate!

This, I would go for Matilda nn Tilly

GroggyLegs · 13/12/2022 18:33

Aria Kate is so much better.

It's personal preference if course, but I really do not like twee cutesy diminutives as full names. Give kids an option!

maranella · 13/12/2022 18:27

Agree Tilly is awful, but then I can't stand cutesy nicknames as names. She will grow up to be a woman OP. Tilly might be cute for a 3-year-old, but for a 50-year-old?

BlueSuffragette · 13/12/2022 18:23

Matilda Kate sounds better than Aria Kate IMO.

beachsandseaicecream · 13/12/2022 18:16

Agree that Tilly Kate sounds a bit like titillate.

What about Ottilie as a longer name with nickname Tilly?

bevelino · 13/12/2022 18:14

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 12/12/2022 13:34

If you called her Matilda Cathleen that would give you better hollering material when you need to yell her full name when she commits teenage crimes eg. 'MATILDA CATHLEEN SMITH, IS THAT A PIERCING IN YOUR NOSE?'

😂😂😂

wishing3 · 13/12/2022 18:09

Matilda Kate sounds nicer IMO.

VenusClapTrap · 13/12/2022 17:30

Aria Kate is far, far better. Elegant and grown up.

SingingSands · 13/12/2022 11:04

Aria is lovely. Tilly is silly. Middles names can be whatever you like, for whatever reason. You don't go around in real life calling your child by their full name. It's lovely to have a family connection, or just use a name you've always liked. I barely remember that I have a middle name, it is never used.

Luana1 · 13/12/2022 10:43

Aria Kate is a lovely name. Tilly Kate doesn't really go together. As pp have said Matilda Kate is much better with the nickname Tilly.

SallyWD · 13/12/2022 10:14

I think Aria is better than Tilly but obviously it's down to personal preference.

Original poster
elm26 · 13/12/2022 09:09

Thank you everyone.

We were settled on Tilly, I'm not keen on Matilda personally but we also have Aria. Is Aria Kate any better? Our surname is 2 syllables and ends in "der".

OP posts:
CPL593H · 12/12/2022 18:32

Tilly was quite usual for girls called Matilda born c 1890s, even into adulthood. My Nans best friend was a Tilly, that era and I've come across others.

I think it's nice actually but would go with using the longer forms, of at least one of the names, to give her options later on.

Mydogatemypurse · 12/12/2022 18:30

Matilda Kate is lovely.
Reenie?

Pieceofpurplesky · 12/12/2022 18:29

I would go for Kitty (short for Cathleen). Or Tilly Cathleen

pimlicoanna · 12/12/2022 18:29

It makes me think of titillate

Kanaloa · 12/12/2022 18:26

I think it’s pretty. Really we don’t use middle names much in real life, so she’ll mostly be Tilly Lastname.

Daffodil21 · 12/12/2022 18:25

I knew a Natalie who everyone called Tilly

KirstenBlest · 12/12/2022 18:16

Kate doesn't flow very well with first names ending in y/ie. Tends to make me think of verbs like masticate, prevaricate etc

Benjispruce4 · 12/12/2022 17:39

Kate over Tilly any day.

Swipe left for the next trending thread