Matilda
Matilda is a girls' name of German origin meaning “mighty in battle.” It ranked #365 in the United States in 2025. From Old High German 'Mahthildis,' combining 'maht' (might, strength) and 'hild' (battle).
how do you pronounce Matilda?
muh-TIL-duh
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Matilda mean?
The name Matilda means “mighty in battle.” It comes from the German language tradition.
From Old High German 'Mahthildis,' combining 'maht' (might, strength) and 'hild' (battle). It was a name of medieval queens; Roald Dahl's beloved 1988 novel and its subsequent musical have given it vibrant modern appeal.
where does the name Matilda come from?
Wiktionary and Wikipedia trace Matilda to the Germanic Mahthildis, from a reconstructed *Mahtihildiz built on the Old High German elements maht and hild. Neither source spells out an English translation, but these are the same roots behind the traditional "might in battle" reading given elsewhere.
the history of Matilda
Wikipedia lists Martilda, Mathilda, and Mathilde as historical spellings of the same name; the sources are silent on medieval queens or Roald Dahl's novel.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #365 |
| 2024 | #411 |
| 2023 | #439 |
| 2022 | #417 |
| 2021 | #466 |
| 2020 | #478 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Matilda?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Matilda?
- Matilda (Roald Dahl character)
- Queen Matilda of England
- Michelle Williams's daughter Matilda
what names are similar to Matilda?
what names go well with Matilda?
Sibling names that share Matilda's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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