BabyNameScore

Matilda

muh·TIL·də · 3 syllables

Matilda is distinctive.

Meaning: Mighty in battle — From Old High German "maht", might/strength, and "hild", battle.

89/100

Strong Practical Fit

Balanced across pronunciation, everyday use, lifetime fit and international use.

Name Profile

  1. Pronunciation & Spelling

    Clear, with one common misreading

    91/100

  2. Everyday Use

    Low risk

    Shortens naturally in everyday use, with three established short forms.

    95/100

  3. Growing Up

    Strong lifetime fit

    Works comfortably across child and adult settings.

    82/100

  4. International Use

    Broad international fit

    Works cleanly across the assessed languages and writing systems.

    85/100

NAME DETAILS

COMMON FORMS
Tilly
Mattie
Tilda
OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS
Mathilda
Mathilde
Matilde
Mechthild
ORIGIN & HISTORY

About the name

Matilda's core identity is medieval-royal rather than mythological: it was borne by a run of real European queens and noblewomen from the 10th through 12th centuries (Saint Matilda, Matilda of Flanders, Matilda of Scotland, Empress Matilda, Matilda of Tuscany), which anchors its historical prestige, and it later underwent a 19th-century revival and a further contemporary revival now visible in strong Commonwealth-country popularity.

  1. Mahthildis — Old High German form. Mighty in battle (from Old High German "maht", might/strength, and "hild", battle). Saint Matilda was married to the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler; the name was carried by Matilda of Flanders (queen of England as wife of William the Conqueror), Matilda of Scotland (wife of Henry I of England), the 12th-century Empress Matilda (claimant to the English throne, mother of Henry II), and Matilda of Tuscany. The Normans brought the name to England, where it remained common through the 15th century (often in the vernacular form 'Maud') before a 19th-century revival.
POPULARITY

Matilda over time

United States
#365RANK

Rank #365 gives national context, not a classroom forecast.

Uncommon in current U.S. usage. Ranked #365 in the U.S., 2025.

SourceU.S. Social Security Administration · 2025 release

Pronunciation & Forms

SAY IT

muh·TIL·də

STRESS ON THE SECOND SYLLABLE

COMMON FORMS
  • Tilly
  • Mattie
  • Tilda
OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS
  • MathildaDE/SV
  • MathildeDE/FR
  • MatildeIT/ES/PT
  • Maud/MaudeEnglish medieval form
  • MechthildDE
PRACTICAL LIFE

How This Name Lives

AT SCHOOL & DAY TO DAY

Currently fashionable for children in several English-speaking countries outside the US (top-25 in Australia, England & Wales, and New Zealand), giving it a bright, contemporary feel for a child despite its medieval roots.

INTO ADULTHOOD

Carries a strong, historically grounded 'mighty' meaning that reads as dignified for an adult, backed by centuries of use by European royalty, without feeling stiff or archaic given its recent revival.

Cultural Footprint

A common name across multiple European countries (England, Germany, Finland, Sweden, and others), historically tied to medieval royalty and now enjoying a strong revival in Commonwealth countries; in the US it functions as a classic-revival choice rather than a name marked to one specific living community.

TRACEABLE ORIGIN
  1. Empress Matilda (1102-1167)claimant to the English throne, mother of Henry II
  2. Matilda of Flanders (c. 1031-1083)Queen of England, wife of William the Conqueror
  3. Matilda of Scotland (c. 1080-1118)Queen of England, wife of Henry I
  4. Matilda of Tuscany (1046-1114)Countess of Tuscany

Community Impressions

The name's association with a run of medieval queens and noblewomen (Empress Matilda, Matilda of Flanders, Matilda of Scotland) gives it a dignified, historically grounded impression, reinforced by its current top-25 popularity in Australia, England & Wales, and New Zealand, which lends it a contemporary revival feel rather than a purely archaic one.

How this name is commonly received · not used in the score

More about Matilda

FORMALITY

Matilda serves as the formal full form, with Tilda, Mattie, and Tilly functioning as its established shorter, everyday forms across the languages that use the name.

EDITORIAL SYNTHESIS

The Decision

Matilda is spelled without unusual letter patterns, and it holds up in everyday use. Surname-dependent compatibility remains unassessed until a surname is added.

STRENGTH

English speakers will most likely pronounce it correctly on the first try. Uses standard characters that systems widely handle cleanly.

BEST FIT

Everyday Use is the strongest-scoring part of this name — no obvious nickname traps, rhymes, or initial issues detected.

FULL-NAME CHECK

See how it works with a surname.

Matilda