A 1890s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Hilda since 1880
Babies named Hilda per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Hilda's real moment was 1899.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,280 |
| 1890s | 4,732 |
| 1900s | 6,783 |
| 1910s | 15,674 |
| 1920s | 18,191 |
| 1930s | 9,454 |
| 1940s | 7,567 |
| 1950s | 6,303 |
| 1960s | 3,596 |
| 1970s | 2,582 |
| 1980s | 1,907 |
| 1990s | 1,362 |
| 2000s | 827 |
| 2010s | 448 |
| 2020s | 316 |
Meaning & origin
Hilda peaked in 1899 at the height of the Victorian revival of medieval names. After declining for much of the 20th century, the name has been rising again since 2017, suggesting a new generation of parents is rediscovering this sturdy, concise name. In 2025 it ranked 2,998, given to about 1 in 29,223 babies. Its strongest states today include Virginia, Texas, and California. The name's straightforward sound and strong meaning appeal to those who favor traditional, no-frills names with deep European roots.
Hilda is a short form of names containing the Germanic element 'hild' meaning battle. It was used in Old Norse as Hildr, the name of a valkyrie in Norse mythology. The name was common in Anglo-Saxon England and revived in the 19th century alongside other medieval names.
Where Hilda is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Hilda” around the world
Where Hilda lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
15
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hildy
Sibling names for Hilda
Names that share Hilda's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Olga, Freya, Ingrid, Astrid, Greta, Bertha, Frieda, Irma, Berta, Erna, Freida, Gisela, Nilda, Alda, Birtha, Gertha, Rudi, Tilda, Valda, Vilma, Girtha, Grethel, Gudrun, Ilsa, Linde, Margit, Grizelda, Hedy, Rheda, Teckla, Trude, Gerturde, Guelda, Gunda, Gusta, Otillia, Truda, Walda, Walta
Brothers: Otto, Oscar, Thor, Gunnar, Erik, Bernhard, Erwin, Rudolph, Adolf, Armin, Gerhard, Gerold, Werner, Bernhardt, Egbert, Ferd, Gunter, Gunther, Helmuth, Hermann, Marzell, Rolfe, Rollo, Siegfried, Zigmund, Athel, Carel, Ebert, Lief, Manfred, Reinhardt, Reinhart, Rollen, Waino, Walfred, Alberth, Bertel, Cuthbert, Ermin, Hartman, Othmar, Sebert, Sie, Sigmond, Wetzel
