Find out how popular the first name Tilda has been for the last 49 years (from 1975 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Tilda by gender

Based on the last 49 years of data, Tilda is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 20 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Tilda.

The history of the first name Tilda

Tilda is a feminine given name with Germanic origins. It is a short form of the medieval German name Mathilde, which is derived from the Old High German names Mahthild and Mathilt. These names are thought to be composed of the elements "maht" meaning "might" or "strength," and "hild" meaning "battle."

The name Mathilde first appeared in historical records around the 8th century CE and quickly gained popularity among the nobility and royalty of medieval Europe. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Mathilde, Countess of Ringelheim (892–968), a prominent figure in the Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire.

In the 11th century, Mathilde of Canossa (1046–1115), also known as the Great Countess, was a powerful ruler in Italy who played a significant role in the Investiture Controversy between the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire. Her influence and legacy helped to further popularize the name throughout Europe.

During the Middle Ages, the name Mathilde was particularly favored in England, where it was often anglicized as Matilda or Maud. One notable bearer was Matilda of Flanders (1031–1083), the wife of William the Conqueror and Queen Consort of England.

Another famous Matilda was the Empress Matilda (1102–1167), daughter of King Henry I of England, who waged a long civil war against her cousin Stephen of Blois for the English throne, known as the Anarchy.

As the name spread across Europe, it also took on various shortened forms, such as Tilda, in different regions. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Tilda comes from the 16th century, when it was used in Sweden and Norway.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Tilda, including:

1. Tilda Swinton (born 1960), an acclaimed British actress known for her roles in films such as "Orlando," "The Deep End," and "Michael Clayton."

2. Tilda Arvidsson (1735–1805), a Swedish industrialist and businesswoman who played a significant role in the development of the Swedish iron industry during the 18th century.

3. Tilda Åkerman (1735–1782), a Swedish writer and feminist who advocated for women's education and rights.

4. Tilda Reunert (1856–1939), a South African philanthropist and social activist who founded several charitable organizations and worked to improve the lives of disadvantaged communities.

5. Tilda Lovell (1874–1953), an American tennis player who won multiple Grand Slam titles in the early 20th century.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Tilda was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tilda, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!