Matilda
Medieval queens, a bookish heroine, and Tilly for short
Matilda
"Might and battle" · girl
Popularity over time
Matilda ranked #365 among girls born in the U.S. in 2025. Its highest rank was #101, in 1880. In 2000 it was #2,097.
Rank among U.S. girls (#1 is the most common). Higher on the chart means more popular. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
How it sounds
Living with the name Matilda
Almost everyone who hears Matilda thinks of one small girl with a stack of library books. Roald Dahl's heroine is so famous that your daughter will be asked about her for years. Most kids find that fun. A few get tired of it by middle school. Some grown-ups will also hum Waltzing Matilda, the old Australian song, the moment they hear her name. Expect it at weddings. She will learn the chorus fast.
If the book link sits fine with you, the rest is easy. The sound is crisp, muh-TIL-duh, with a firm t in the middle. It goes back to a Germanic name, Mahthilt, built from words for might and battle. William the Conqueror's wife Matilda brought it to England. Their granddaughter, Empress Matilda, fought for the English crown in the 1100s. So the name has both a cozy storybook side and a tough medieval one.
Nicknames give it range. Tilly is bouncy and small, Tilda is cool and grown-up, and Mattie feels warm and country. There is even Maud, if you want a twist. Plenty of girls go by Tilly as toddlers and switch to Tilda as teenagers. Spelling can wobble, since Mathilda with an h is common in Sweden. It pairs well with plain middle names, since three syllables up front need only one behind them. With last names, it likes something short. Matilda Kerr or Matilda Price sounds neat. On a baby it is sweet. On a 40-year-old it sounds sharp and capable.
Things to consider
- Tilly and Tillie are both common, so pick a spelling before relatives pick it for you on the first birthday cake. Write it on the announcement to be safe.
- Initials can spell words. An A middle name and a D last name give you M.A.D., so check the set before you engrave anything or order a monogram.
- Mattie also works for boys named Matthew, which can cause mix-ups in a big family or a busy group chat. Tilly avoids that clash, and so does the full name.
Well-known namesakes
- Empress Matilda, 12th-century claimant to the English throne
- Matilda Wormwood, the book-loving heroine of Roald Dahl's Matilda
Names that pair well
Sibling names
Middle names to try
- Matilda Rose
- Matilda Jane
- Matilda Grace
- Matilda Eve
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Questions parents ask about Matilda
How do people say Matilda in other countries?
In English it is muh-TIL-duh, with the weight squarely on the middle syllable. Finnish and Slovak speakers stress the first syllable instead, closer to MAH-til-dah, which sounds bouncier and a little more formal. Spanish speakers say it much like English, with a clear a sound at the end, so it holds up well in bilingual homes.
Is Maud the same name as Matilda?
Yes, Maud grew out of the medieval English and French forms of Matilda, so the two are one name in two outfits. Today they feel like separate names, and Maud has a quieter, more bookish sound. Because they share one root, Maud makes a sly middle name or a nickname that only your family will get.
Is Matilda too much name for a baby?
It has three syllables and a strong middle beat, but it doesn't feel heavy, even on a tiny newborn in a hospital bracelet. Most families use Tilly or Tilda at first, then let her choose as she grows and figures out what she likes. The full name is there when she wants it, ready for a stage or a desk plate.
Meanings and origins follow the name dictionaries listed below. Where sources disagree we say so. Nicknames mix common short forms with informal ones families make up. A name's meaning says nothing about who a child will become.
Sources
- behindthename.com /name/matilda
- en.wiktionary.org /wiki/Matilda
- behindthename.com /name/maud
- U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, popularity ranks
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