Declining since 2017, #5,722 for girls today.
Popularity of Mathilde since 1880
Babies named Mathilde per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1894, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Mathilde's real moment was 1887.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 183 |
| 1890s | 253 |
| 1900s | 187 |
| 1910s | 244 |
| 1920s | 182 |
| 1930s | 49 |
| 1940s | 11 |
| 1950s | 13 |
| 1960s | 5 |
| 1970s | 11 |
| 1980s | 18 |
| 1990s | 96 |
| 2000s | 180 |
| 2010s | 237 |
| 2020s | 124 |
Meaning & origin
Mathilde, derived from Old High German elements meaning 'might' and 'battle,' has been in steady use since 1880, though it has never regained the popularity of its peak year of 1887. After a long period of decline starting in 2017, the name now falls at rank 5,722 in 2025, with roughly 1 in 76,537 newborns receiving it. Historically favored in German, French, and Scandinavian countries, Mathilde remains a noble-sounding choice with classic European appeal, despite its current rarity in the United States.
Mathilde derives from the Old High German 'maht' (might, strength) and 'hiltja' (battle). It was a common name among medieval European royalty, notably borne by Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror. The name has been used in various forms across Germanic and Romance languages, with the French spelling 'Mathilde' becoming widespread in the 19th century.
“Mathilde” around the world
Where Mathilde lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
440
babies in 2024
Quebec
#41
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mattie, Tilly, Mat
Sibling names for Mathilde
Names that share Mathilde's style, for a brother or sister.
