Tilla Durieux) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on July 10, 2008. It was substantially revised & republished on September 24, 2012.
She’s an intriguing blend of clunky medieval appellation and current français style.
Thanks to Lola for suggesting a rare gem indeed for today’s Baby Name of the Day: Ottilie.
Ottilie is unusual in recent decades, but she once ranked in the US Top 1000. Circa 1890, she kept company with other now near-extinct appellations: Zenobia, Eulalie, Rosamund, Tilda. Once she must have sounded uncommon but not outlandish.
Today she’s something of a daring pick. Ottilie last appeared in the US Top 1000 in 1905. She was given to fewer than five girls in 2011, though Otilia and Odelia just snuck into the charts.
This is yet another variation of the Germanic Odo, meaning wealth or fortune, the ancestor of plenty of names:
- The palindrome Otto
- Jazzy Otis
- Odilia was an 8th century nun, said to have been born blind, but had her sight miraculously restored during her baptism.
- Odile (pronounced oh DEEL) and Odette (oh DET) both appear in the ballet Swan Lake. Odette is the virtuous princess, and Odile the villain – but somehow I think Odile is the more wearable name circa 2012.
- Ottoline is another possibility, as in the eccentric Lady Ottoline Morrell, known for hosting some of the leading thinkers in the World War I and post-war era in England.
In recent centuries several smart and artistic Ottilies have made their mark:
- German feminist writer and abolitionist Ottilie Assing had a long and tumultuous affair with Frederick Douglass.
- German actress Ottilie Godeffroy appeared on screen in silent films as Tilla Durieux.
- Ottilie Metzger was a Frankfurt-born opera singer well known in the early 1900s.
- Irish born jazz singer Ottilie Patterson is probably the last of the well known bearers of the name, with her career at its peak in the 1950s and 60s. She was actually born Anna Ottilie, but dropped her first name.
19th century Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson even penned a short poem To Ottilie. It’s not clear who the inspiration was for the poem’s name; Stevenson’s wife went by the humble moniker Fanny. Still, it lends the name a bit of literary cred.
Truman Capote gave the name to a prostitute in his novella House of Flowers. In 1971’s Quest for Love – a relatively forgettable sci fi flick – Joan Collins played a character called Ottilie. Neither use had a lasting impact.
To most Americans, sounds a little bit French, something like Rosalie and Coralie. While she isn’t unknown in France, Ottilie is definitely more common in German-speaking countries, where she’s actually pronounced oh TEEL ee ah.
The one place Ottilie is a smash hit is amongst name aficionados. Rowan at Eponymia gave the name to a daughter. So did Bewildertrix, the fabulous name blogger who went offline a few years ago.
If you love the idea of Tillie or Tilly but aren’t wild about Matilda, then Ottilie could be the name for you. She’s an unusual choice, a little bit clunky, a little bit pretty – and that makes for a winning combination, the kind we expect to see in the London Telegraph birth announcements.
Ottilie micallef says
July 6, 2013 at 4:39 PMHi my name is Ottilie and I am from Malta .I have 35 yrs .., I really love my name and it is original ….I say thank you to my mother she tells me that she found it from a novel …in Malta my name is very very rare
appellationmountain says
July 7, 2013 at 8:09 PMThanks for sharing, Ottilie – glad your name wears so well!
waltzingmorethanmatilda says
September 25, 2012 at 4:36 AMPretty and elegant name, but tbh, I’m not really sure how I’d say it. I’m not really keen on OT-er-lee, as it sounds too much like “otter”, although otters are adorable. Maybe oh-TIL-ee, but I’m not sure it really works in my accent. At least it sounds nothing like “oddity”! (Space Ottilie???)
I would definitely consider this for a middle name, where the pronunciation wouldn’t be such a day-to-day issue.
Charlotte Vera says
September 24, 2012 at 11:33 PMMy Opa was an Otto. We’re expecting number three (another April baby!), and while Otto itself is on our shortlist should the baby be a boy, Ottilie is on our longlist for a potential girl.
In the novel Lord Attenbury’s Emeralds Jill Paton Walsh named one of her characters Ottilie. The mystery was a recreation of the Lord Peter Wimsey world originally created by Dorothy L. Sayers.
Julie says
September 24, 2012 at 10:57 PMMy mother’s maiden name means “Otto’s Son”, so Otto made my short list for middle names, until I realized Peter’s initials would have been P.O.S.
I’ve always loved Ottilie (and “O” names in general.) With it’s similarity to Natalie, I like that Ottilie feels familiar, but it’s actually really rare… exactly my style. It’s too bad I could never sell the name to my other half.
Havoye says
September 24, 2012 at 8:41 PMHeh, I had this name on my long list for a girl (spelled Othilie), and it didn’t go over well with the few people I mentioned it to. It’s one of those names that sounds better said with a British accent, because Americans and Canadians tend to lose the crispness of the T sound and instead say something that sounds like Oddily or Oddly.
I think it’s a name that’s pretty in the abstract but perhaps not all that practical in the North American context.
Lyndsay says
September 28, 2012 at 1:52 AMDitto this. I love the way it looks and feels and if I were British I might seriously consider it. Unfortunately the way I pronounce it sounds like Oddily and that just doesn’t work.
Kristine says
September 24, 2012 at 8:39 PMI wonder if it can be spelled Ottilia? It sounds very pretty.
Dellitt says
September 24, 2012 at 4:01 PMHmm. Maybe I’m pronouncing Ottilie different from the rest of you. I say “OH tih lee” or “oh tih LEE”. To me it’s not clunky, has nothing to do with the sound of words like oddity. I came across a relative in my genealogy, early part of the 20th century, named Otelia. This I would pronounce ‘oh TEAL ya’ but her name was sometimes written as Odelie. But I don’t know how she said it. I would say that “OH da lee” or possibly “oh DEAL ee”. I think it’s a great name. Very uncommon. I loved learning that it comes from the same source as Otto. Tilly is a cute nn. I like Tilly as a name on its own as well.
Eponymia says
September 24, 2012 at 3:05 PMObviously I love this one — my Ottilie is most frequently called Otts or Til.
Ich und die Namen says
September 24, 2012 at 5:28 AMOttilie is one of my favourite names. A character in the opera “Ariadne auf Naxos” is called Ottonie. This might be an interesting alternative.
Kimberly says
May 10, 2012 at 11:11 AMI love 3 syllable names, as they flow well with my simple last name. I think Ottilie is a fresh alternative to all the other ee names and I would seriously consider it. Also, I think “Lottie” would be a great nn for Ottilie.
youcantcallitit says
July 11, 2008 at 8:15 PMMarcia Gay Harden has a Eulalia, with an A at the end. 🙂 Thanks for making her the NotD! I look forward to it.
appellationmountain says
July 11, 2008 at 7:12 PMSorry about the Basil drama! I would never, ever, ever close for comments! Intentionally. 😮
Fawlty Towers – d’oh! Completely forgot about Fawlty Towers!
Eulalie will be August 5 and Zuleika August 9. There’s a celeb with a baby Eulalie, but I can’t recall *who* it is at the moment. Zuleika, though – that’s gonna be a wild one!
Lola says
July 11, 2008 at 5:07 PMMe too, as I finally got on. 🙁 Sad. I quite like Basil (yet another great uncle Vasiliy could be honored) but alas. It also, like Another, makes me think of John Cleese. I love John Cleese. Basil would fit right in my neighborhood, with Arthur, Cyril, Caleb, Lucan & Fritz, all under 2. Warm, friendly (and yes, yummy) Basil gets a winning ribbon from me!
And Eulalie? Wel, Elisabeth knows I do love it, even if it doesn’t work for me. I think it’s melodious and easy on the eyes. Eulalie’s no pushover either. Light & airy but no airhead!
Have another request for a NotD, if possible: Zuleika. It’s my other half’s favorite, favorite name and it’s starting to appeal to me as well. I know about Zuleika Dobson (required reading in 10th grade assured that) and I found a fairled musical and a type of butterfly as well. I’d love to see what other things you could pull up on Zuleika. You amaze me! 🙂
Another says
July 11, 2008 at 3:56 PMI wanted to leave a comment at Basil, but it says it’s closed for comments. Oh well. Here goes: Basil brings to mind Fawlty Towers, my homemade spaghetti sauce, and not much else.
Also, Eulalie? To me Eulalie has gone to the name graveyard, along with Gertrude, Bertha, and Ethel.
youcantcallitit says
July 11, 2008 at 3:54 AMI adore Ottilie, but you’re not alone, Another, in hearing “oddly.” In my case, I keep hearing “oddity.” Still, it’s a rhythmic choice with loads of charm. I’m actually really interested in another name you compared it to: EULALIE. Any chance that she might reign as name of the day in the near future? For that matter, Rosamond and Zenobia are pretty fascinating as well. But I already bestowed Zenobia as the middle name for my dog.
appellationmountain says
July 10, 2008 at 10:48 PMAh, but we love you for saying what you think. 😉
Another says
July 10, 2008 at 10:06 PMSounds too much like “oddly” for me. I can’t swing with this name. It definitely is one that I would widen my eyes at if someone introduced their daughter or theirself as Ottilie. (That sentence escaped my grasp of good grammar somehow.)
Sorry to be such a downer, but it seeems I’m always the dissenting vote. Ah well, on to the next one.
appellationmountain says
July 10, 2008 at 9:09 PMOoh, I love Leelo! But I’m still fond of Tilly.
Katharine, I didn’t realize Tilly was so hot in the UK. Is it a nickname for Matilda, or bestowed independently?
As for Odile, isn’t she the bad guy in Swan Lake? I don’t remember the details, but I’m pretty sure that she ends badly – and so the similarity to odious isn’t inappropriate.
Lola says
July 10, 2008 at 6:06 PMKatherine, I’ve been toying with other nicknames (I’m a Yank, so the popularity of Tilly doesn’t bother me any), but just in case she wanted options, I wanted to think what they might be. I’ve come up with Ottie/Tottie (Thank You Wallace & Gromit!) and Leelee, or heck, if I wanna stetch it: Leelo (reverse the sounds of the name) . So there are a few other, less obvious options for you! 🙂
Katharine says
July 10, 2008 at 5:58 PMI have liked this name ever since I read a book that was dedicated to an Ottilie many moons ago so I’m glad to see it getting a mention, I had heard it was pronouced Oat-il-ie which really put me off so I’m surprised but pleased to hear that its not 🙂 Personally, my only niggle with Ottilie is that Tilly is becoming super popular in the UK so I would be hesitant to revert to that nickname.
Catherine says
July 10, 2008 at 4:44 PMOnce I saw the title, my first thought was “That’s Lola’s name!” 😀 I like it; it’s very cheery, as you said. It’s just a sunny name. The O beginning is right there with current trends, too. An Ottilie would stand out, but still fit in with the Kaylee’s and whatnot. This is one of the few names with a ee ending that doesn’t sound unbearably cutesy to me. Thumbs up on Ottolie. Odile, however, reminds me of the spanish word odiar, meaning to hate, or the word odor, or odious. It actually sounds like a synonym for odious. 😛 Anyone else think of that?
Lola says
July 10, 2008 at 4:29 PMMy parents had a print of that Stevenson poem (My Dad was huge on all things Scottish, *sigh*) and I think that’s where I first saw it. I’ve loved it since. Metzger is also a known for me. I adore Opera. I do love what is actually the nickname form: Ottoline a bit more but I occasionally waffle between the two. I find Ottilie light and crisp and yes, a current sound. That open AH , that cute -lee ending. What’s not to love? 🙂 I find this is another polarising name… folks either love it or hate it. But Ottilie/Ottoline is definitely our front runner, for another girl. The Tilley surname (A Mayflower name) is, for him, THE family surname of surnames and Ottilie/Ottiline easily becomes Tillie. Hence, honoring by sound (Tilley’s too surnamey for a name). I’m also toying with Tillo for a boy. I think it would take just one cute little Ottilie/Ottoline to warm folks to her name!