Hildagard
A feminine name of Old German origin meaning "battlefield guard" or "battle strength".
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Hildagard. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hildagard today is around 93 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hildagard births was 1916 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hildagard. 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
- • The typical person named Hildagard is about 93 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Hildagards were born before 1943.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hildagard. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1916
12 babies that year
Average age
93
years old
1930 SSA rank
#4,842
Tracked since 1901
Popularity
Hildagard: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hildagard from the 1900s through to the 1930s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 58 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hildagard 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 Hildagard during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hildagard
The name Hildagard has its origins in the Germanic languages, emerging as a compound of two Old High German words: "hilti" meaning "battle" and "gard" meaning "enclosure" or "fortified place." This combination suggests a name that connotes someone who lives within a fortified or protected area, or perhaps a reference to a fierce warrior or protector.
The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 8th century, when it was borne by Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a renowned Benedictine abbess, writer, composer, philosopher, and visionary. Born in 1098 in Bermersheim vor der Höhe, in what is now Germany, she is one of the most influential figures of the High Middle Ages and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.
Another notable figure with this name was Hildegard of Vintzgau, a Frankish noblewoman who lived in the 9th century and was the wife of King Louis the German. She played a significant role in the political affairs of the Carolingian Empire during her husband's reign.
In the 12th century, Hildegard of Buren was a German abbess and mystic who founded the monastery of St. Mary's in Bingen. She is known for her spiritual writings and her advocacy for women's education and leadership within the church.
The name Hildagard was also borne by Hildegard of Meaux, a 12th-century French abbess and hagiographer, who wrote biographies of saints and promoted the cult of St. Bathild, the Anglo-Saxon queen of the Franks.
In the 13th century, Hildegard of Zwiefalten was a German Benedictine abbess and mystic known for her spiritual writings and her role in the reform of monastic life in Germany.
While the name Hildagard has its roots in the Middle Ages, it has continued to be used throughout history, albeit less commonly in recent centuries. The name's strong association with the famous Saint Hildegard of Bingen and its evocative meaning have likely contributed to its enduring appeal, even if it has waned in popularity compared to its historical prominence.
People
Hildagard + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hildagard 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
Hildagard: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hildagard?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hildagard 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Hildagard a common name?
We classify Hildagard as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 120 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hildagard most popular?
The single biggest year for Hildagard was 1916, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hildagard is about 93 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Hildagard in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hildagard a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hildagard 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.
Is Hildagard still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hildagard in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Hildagard can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Hildagard?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.