Mathilda Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ma-THIL-da /mæˈθɪl.də/
Origin: German; Old High German
Meaning: Strength in battle; mighty in battle
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Mathilda has its roots in the Germanic elements "maht" meaning "might" or "strength" and "hild" meaning "battle." This etymology reflects a lineage that can be traced back to the early medieval period, where the name was recorded in various forms such as Matilda and Mahthildis. The name entered the English language through the Old French form "Matilde," which was adopted after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, particularly associated with the influential figure of Matilda of Flanders, the wife of William the Conqueror.
Historically, the name Mathilda gained prominence through several notable figures, including Matilda of Tuscany, a powerful noblewoman in the 11th century who played a significant role in the Investiture Controversy. Additionally, the name is famously associated with Empress Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I of England, who was a claimant to the English throne in the 12th century.
Her struggle for power during the civil war known as The Anarchy (1135-1154) marked a significant period in English history, further solidifying the name's historical significance. Culturally, Mathilda has been associated with strength and resilience, reflecting its etymological roots.
The name has appeared in various literary works and has been embraced in different cultures, often symbolizing a strong female character. In some traditions, the diminutive form "Tilda" has emerged, which retains the essence of the original name while offering a more affectionate variant.
Overall, Mathilda's enduring legacy is rooted in its historical associations and the powerful figures who bore the name.
Famous people named Mathilda
In this section, you will find notable people named Mathilda. 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 Mathilda who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Mathilda 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.
Mathilda May is an actress best known for The Fifth Element, The Last Man, and The Hunger.
Fictional characters named Mathilda
The following list of fictional characters named Mathilda 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.
Mathilda is a fictional character from the film Léon: The Professional. She is a young girl who becomes the apprentice of a hitman after her family is murdered.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Mathilda, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Mathilda. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Mathilda was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Mathilda has ranked as high as #694 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, New York, Louisiana, Illinois, and Minnesota.
In the past 5 years the name Mathilda has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Mathilda 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 Mathilda was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Mathilda (2024)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 8 |
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 Mathilda.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 30 |
| 2023 | 26 |
| 2022 | 36 |
| 2021 | 46 |
| 2020 | 32 |
| 2019 | 38 |
| 2018 | 41 |
| 2017 | 33 |
| 2016 | 38 |
| 2015 | 52 |
| 2014 | 36 |
| 2013 | 33 |
| 2012 | 41 |
| 2011 | 34 |
| 2010 | 34 |
| 2009 | 40 |
| 2008 | 21 |
| 2007 | 19 |
| 2006 | 20 |
| 2005 | 12 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2003 | 24 |
| 2002 | 21 |
| 2001 | 20 |
| 2000 | 17 |
| 1999 | 13 |
| 1998 | 22 |
| 1997 | 7 |
| 1996 | 11 |
| 1995 | 12 |
| 1988 | 5 |
| 1985 | 5 |
| 1984 | 7 |
| 1983 | 8 |
| 1979 | 6 |
| 1978 | 8 |
| 1977 | 7 |
| 1976 | 5 |
| 1975 | 5 |
| 1974 | 11 |
| 1973 | 6 |
| 1972 | 6 |
| 1971 | 8 |
| 1970 | 11 |
| 1969 | 6 |
| 1968 | 10 |
| 1967 | 8 |
| 1966 | 12 |
| 1965 | 12 |
| 1964 | 15 |
| 1963 | 12 |
| 1962 | 9 |
| 1961 | 12 |
| 1960 | 10 |
| 1959 | 14 |
| 1958 | 15 |
| 1957 | 16 |
| 1956 | 14 |
| 1955 | 14 |
| 1954 | 9 |
| 1953 | 18 |
| 1952 | 9 |
| 1951 | 13 |
| 1950 | 12 |
| 1949 | 12 |
| 1948 | 17 |
| 1947 | 17 |
| 1946 | 11 |
| 1945 | 19 |
| 1944 | 16 |
| 1943 | 30 |
| 1942 | 22 |
| 1941 | 21 |
| 1940 | 25 |
| 1939 | 28 |
| 1938 | 28 |
| 1937 | 34 |
| 1936 | 37 |
| 1935 | 44 |
| 1934 | 38 |
| 1933 | 31 |
| 1932 | 47 |
| 1931 | 42 |
| 1930 | 47 |
| 1929 | 47 |
| 1928 | 57 |
| 1927 | 79 |
| 1926 | 88 |
| 1925 | 100 |
| 1924 | 113 |
| 1923 | 140 |
| 1922 | 140 |
| 1921 | 147 |
| 1920 | 146 |
| 1919 | 142 |
| 1918 | 180 |
| 1917 | 164 |
| 1916 | 170 |
| 1915 | 146 |
| 1914 | 142 |
| 1913 | 101 |
| 1912 | 120 |
| 1911 | 97 |
| 1910 | 95 |
| 1909 | 84 |
| 1908 | 85 |
| 1907 | 90 |
| 1906 | 102 |
| 1905 | 84 |
| 1904 | 101 |
| 1903 | 88 |
| 1902 | 104 |
| 1901 | 109 |
| 1900 | 113 |
| 1899 | 127 |
| 1898 | 130 |
| 1897 | 108 |
| 1896 | 121 |
| 1895 | 127 |
| 1894 | 136 |
| 1893 | 148 |
| 1892 | 150 |
| 1891 | 138 |
| 1890 | 138 |
| 1889 | 168 |
| 1888 | 133 |
| 1887 | 138 |
| 1886 | 120 |
| 1885 | 102 |
| 1884 | 95 |
| 1883 | 100 |
| 1882 | 68 |
| 1881 | 69 |
| 1880 | 72 |