Valley of the fertile land
Derived from an English surname, Tilden likely originates from a place name meaning 'fertile valley' or 'valley of the tiles.' It combines the Old English elements 'til' (good, useful, or fertile) and 'denu' (valley).
Less common today
Tilden isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #2,993 in 2025.
25th Governor of New York and 1876 Democratic presidential candidate
Episcopal priest and founder of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
