Hildegard Girl

Popularity: #934 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: HIL-de-gard //ˈhɪl.də.ɡɑrd//

Origin: German; Old High German

Meaning: German: battle maid; Old High German: strong warrior

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Hildegard is of Germanic origin, derived from the elements 'hild', meaning 'battle', and 'gard', meaning 'enclosure' or 'protection'. This etymological composition reflects a common practice in early Germanic languages of combining meaningful roots to create names that convey strength and resilience.

The name entered the English language through the influence of Old High German and Middle High German, particularly during the medieval period when Germanic names were adopted in various forms across Europe, including England. Historically, one of the most notable figures bearing this name is Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th-century Benedictine abbess, composer, and visionary.

She is recognized for her contributions to music, medicine, and theology, and her works were influential in the development of medieval mysticism and natural history. Her canonization and the subsequent veneration of her life and works helped to solidify the name Hildegard in Christian tradition.

The name also appears in various historical texts and documents throughout the Middle Ages, often associated with noble families and figures of significance. Culturally, Hildegard has come to symbolize wisdom, spirituality, and the intersection of faith and knowledge, particularly in the context of women's contributions to these fields during the medieval era.

The name has been preserved in various forms across different cultures, reflecting its enduring legacy. In some contexts, diminutive forms such as Hilda have emerged, further embedding the name in various cultural narratives.

Overall, Hildegard remains a name steeped in historical significance, representing a rich tapestry of linguistic and cultural heritage.

Famous people named Hildegard

In this section, you will find notable people named Hildegard. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Hildegard who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Hildegard who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Hildegard von Bingen is a composer, writer, and philosopher best known for her musical compositions, Scivias, and her contributions to natural history.

Fictional characters named Hildegard

The following list of fictional characters named Hildegard is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Hildegard is a fictional character from the video game series The Legend of Zelda. She is a wise sage who provides guidance and support to the protagonist in their quest.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Hildegard, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

GertrudeMatildaIsoldeAdelaideBeatrixMargaret

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Hildegard. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

HildaGretchenIngridBrunhildeWilhelminaSigridFreyaAnnelieseElsaLorelei

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Hildegard was first seen in the United States in 1888.

Hildegard has ranked as high as #1355 nationally, which occurred in 1915, and has been most popular in Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Hildegard has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Hildegard is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Hildegard was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Hildegard (1946)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
NY 7
100%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Hildegard.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 14 14
2024 18 18
2023 19 19
2022 22 22
2021 13 13
2020 8 8
2019 14 14
2018 10 10
2017 6 6
2016 10 10
2015 6 6
2014 6 6
1970 6 6
1968 6 6
1964 6 6
1963 9 9
1962 7 7
1961 5 5
1960 9 9
1959 9 9
1958 11 11
1957 10 10
1956 11 11
1955 6 6
1954 10 10
1953 12 12
1952 10 10
1951 7 7
1950 7 7
1949 6 6
1948 9 9
1947 9 9
1946 13 13
1945 8 8
1944 10 10
1943 9 9
1942 11 11
1941 17 17
1940 16 16
1939 14 14
1938 23 23
1937 25 25
1936 14 14
1935 24 24
1934 31 31
1933 34 34
1932 30 30
1931 31 31
1930 50 50
1929 44 44
1928 44 44
1927 57 57
1926 47 47
1925 46 46
1924 38 38
1923 47 47
1922 43 43
1921 35 35
1920 35 35
1919 50 50
1918 57 57
1917 63 63
1916 70 70
1915 81 81
1914 44 44
1913 39 39
1912 45 45
1911 22 22
1910 12 12
1909 21 21
1908 13 13
1907 18 18
1906 34 34
1905 21 21
1904 23 23
1903 17 17
1902 28 28
1901 21 21
1900 23 23
1899 20 20
1898 16 16
1897 14 14
1896 21 21
1895 13 13
1894 10 10
1893 13 13
1892 6 6
1891 11 11
1890 6 6
1888 6 6