Hilda
A feminine given name of Germanic origin meaning "battle woman" or "fighter".
Name Census estimates that about 19,724 living Americans carry the first name Hilda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hilda today is around 62 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hilda births was 1921 (2,137 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hilda. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Although Hilda is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 178 boys registered with the name since 1880.
- • Compared to the 1920s, recent registration numbers for Hilda have dropped to less than 5% of what they once were.
People living today
20K
~ 1 in 17,378 Americans
Peak year
1921
2,137 babies that year
Average age
62
years old
1983 SSA rank
#3,053
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Hilda
Out of the 81,143 babies given the name Hilda since 1880, 99.8% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Hilda as a male name
- Ranked #5,753 in 1983
- 6 male births in 1983
- Peak: 1926 (11 births)
Hilda as a female name
- Ranked #3,053 in 2024
- 53 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1921 (2,128 births)
Popularity
Hilda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hilda from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 18,251 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hilda by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Hilda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hildas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 49 states and territories. New York, Texas, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Hilda, while Wyoming, Utah, Idaho recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 1,314 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hilda
The name Hilda is of Old Germanic origin, derived from the elements "hild" meaning "battle" and "hild" meaning "combat" or "war." It was a popular name among the Anglo-Saxons and was widely used in England during the Middle Ages.
The earliest recorded use of the name Hilda can be traced back to the 7th century. St. Hilda of Whitby (614-680 AD) was an influential Anglo-Saxon nun and abbess who established one of the first monasteries in England. She played a significant role in the spread of Christianity in the region and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic and Anglican churches.
Another notable figure bearing the name Hilda is Hilda of Calshot (c. 1040-c. 1110), an English noblewoman who founded the Benedictine nunnery of Wilton Abbey in Wiltshire, England. The abbey became a center of learning and culture during the 12th century.
In the literary world, Hilda is a character in the novel "The Portent" by George MacDonald (1824-1905), a renowned Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister. The novel, published in 1864, explores themes of faith, redemption, and moral growth.
Another notable Hilda is Hilda Hewlett (1864-1943), a British painter and illustrator who was part of the Arts and Crafts movement. She is best known for her illustrations in children's books, including works by authors such as Rudyard Kipling and Frances Hodgson Burnett.
In the realm of music, Hilda Trolander (1892-1976) was a Swedish soprano who had a successful career in opera and concert performances. She was particularly renowned for her interpretations of works by Richard Wagner and made numerous recordings throughout her career.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Hilda throughout history. The name has endured over centuries, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries, and continues to be used in various parts of the world today.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Hilda
People
Hilda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hilda as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hilda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hilda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 19,724 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hilda going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 17,378 US residents.
Is Hilda a common name?
We classify Hilda as "Uncommon". It ranks above 98.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 81,143 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hilda most popular?
The single biggest year for Hilda was 1921, when 2,137 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hilda is about 62 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hilda a female name?
Yes, 99.8% of people registered as Hilda in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.