Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Hildegarde is a variant of Hildegard. An origin associated with Hildegard is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1885. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Hildegarde 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
Hildegarde through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,326
- 0 boys · 2,326 girls
- Most popular year
- 1915
- 124 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 13 in 1961. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 124 in 1915. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 479 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Hildegarde’s family of names
Hildegarde has a related form in Hildegard. In French usage, Hildegarde has a conventional equivalent in the German form Hildegard. In English usage, Hildegarde has a conventional equivalent in the Polish form HILDEGARDA.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Hildegarde has relatives in 8 languages.
5 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Hildegarde
- Hildegard of BingenGerman Benedictine abbess, polymath, mystic and Doctor of Church (1098–1179)
- HildegardQueen of the Franks and Blessed (c. 771 – 783)758–783
- Princess Hildegard of BavariaBavarian princess (1825-1864)
- Hildegarde HowardAmerican paleornithologist1901–1998
- HildegardeAmerican singer (1906–2005)
- Hildegarde SwiftAmerican children's book author1890–1977
- Hildegarde NaughtonIrish Politicianborn 1977
- Princess Hildegard Marie of Bavaria1881–1948
- Hildegarde HawthorneAmerican writer, poet, and biographer (1871-1952)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Hildegarde, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Hilma
“one who is protected”
>99% girls
Hortense
“a gardener”
>99% girls
Hildred
Hildred is a feminine given name.
15% boys · 85% girls
Harriette
“ruler of the house”
>99% girls
Hedwig
“suffering strife during war”
>99% girls
Albertine
“noble and bright”
>99% girls
Glennie
“from the secluded narrow valley” · “from the valley between the hills”
13% boys · 87% girls
Lessie
6% boys · 94% girls