Dog name guide

Jilly

The meaning, background and naming story of Jilly.

Letters
5
Starts with
J

Meaning and background

The story behind Jilly

Jilly is an affectionate short form of Jill in Behind the Name. The linked Jill entry identifies it in turn as a short form of Gillian, so the nickname has a documented personal-name chain behind it. Its -y ending belongs to that familiar diminutive form rather than supplying an independent meaning. An owner can use Jilly to honour a Jill or Gillian while keeping the intended connection explicit.

Origin
Diminutive of Jill, which is a short form of Gillian. Source · Source 2

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About Jilly

Recorded as a dog’s name

Jilly appears in 4 dog licence records in the 2026 New York City dataset.

How to read this count

These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.

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Sources and research notes (1)

References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.

More names to consider

Suggestions by sound, written form or existing editorial selections. Similarity does not imply a shared origin.

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