Given name & surname
Hilda
“a battlemaiden”
In Norwegian use, Hilda has a related form in Hildur. One Icelandic interpretation is “a battlemaiden.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Norwegian use, Hilda has a related form in Hildur. One Icelandic interpretation is “a battlemaiden.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Germanic.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Hilda is a variant of Hildegard. The history of Hildegard gives this family its wider story. Hildegard’s historical associations include the second wife of Charlemagne and the mystical writer Hildegard of Bingen.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Hilda through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 81,200
- 178 boys · 81,022 girls
- Most popular year
- 1921
- 2,137 babies
- 2025
- 55
- #3,007 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +27%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 55 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,007 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 26.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 2,128 in 1921. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (11). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 54,736 as a first name in 2020; a sample rank of No. 71,983 among surnames in 1990.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Hilda’s family of names
In Finnish usage, Hilda has a diminutive in HILLA. Hilda has a masculine form in Hildo. In Portuguese usage, Hilda has a related form in Ilda.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Hilda has relatives in 12 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Germanic roots to each of them.
12 related names in 12 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 14
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Hilda
- Noomi RapaceSwedish actressborn 1979
- Hilda HeineMarshallese politicianborn 1951
- H.D.American Imagist poet (1886–1961)
- Hilda SolisAmerican politician (born 1957)
- Hilda GeiringerAustrian mathematician (1893–1973)
- Princess Hilda of NassauGrand Duchess of Baden (1864 - 1952)
- Hilda GadeaPeruvian economist, Communist leader, and author, 1925-1974
- Hilda of WhitbyChristian saint and the founding abbess of the monastery at Whitby, England614–680
- Hilda GobbiHungarian actress of Italian origin (1913-1988)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Hilda, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Irma
“a universal woman”
>99% girls
Tilda
“one who is mighty in battle”
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Hilma
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“a peaceful ruler”
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Wilma
“determined protector”
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Velma
“determined protector”
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Elma
“having God's protection”
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Alda
“long-lived, old; wise; an elder”
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