Mumsnet Talk

What do you think of Hilda? The longer forms I've been looking at (Brunhilde) I now think are too much with no German connections.

I have a great aunt called Hilda. It makes me think of very old ladies.

It makes me think of Les Dawson.

The ultimate old-lady name. One that should never come back into fashion. Just dreadful.
Sorry to be so blunt but you did ask

Hideous, despite the fact that it was my much loved, dear and gentle grandmother's name.

(She hated it too).

Ruffled brown tights

Don't try so hard. It doesn't matter if someone else in your child's class has the same name, honestly - it won't make your child any less of an individual.

If you want old-lady chic, I offer you - free, gratis and for nothing - Opal, Pearl and Edith.

NOt one of the old lady names that is due for a revival IMO. Which might be seen as a positive i.e. very very few other girls with the same name. Or a negative: not fashionable for a reason.

I'd say the main negative is that it sounds ugly.

It is old ladyish but there are plenty here in brighton.the more I hear it the sweeter it sounds

More attractive old-lady names cont. - Florence, Bess, Nora.

Oh I like it. My dd is Mathilda and I would love it if she chose to abbreviate it to Hilda. She doesn't though. She has her own nickname that seems to have stuck and suits her down to the ground.

My friends middle name.....she is 28!!!
not a fan personally, how about my favourite (which DH hates) Beatrice

I was put off by the fact that it means "battle". It would have been tempting fate, considering how strong willed all the girls are in our family.

I am a fan of old lady chic but this is a step too far.

Adelaide
Margaret
Lilian
Hester
Frieda
Sylvia
Phyllis

But not Hilda.

Think Hilda Ogden from Corrie

Headscarf and curlers

I love Beatrice too, dd's middle name!

Mathilda means 'mighty in battle' which is perfect for my dd. She has the size and build of a tank.

I am going to buck the trend and say I rather like it! I agree that the longer version is too much if you don't have the connections, but I am friends with a really rather gorgeous Hilda - mid30s, beautiful and an amazing party host

<hopes she doesn't MN or I've blown my cover>

Message withdrawn

I hardly ever watcher corrie, yet Hilda still immediately summons up the curlers.

Sorry, you really shouldn't.

Matilda is nice though.

I think it is lovely and would place in similar category to Maude.

Funnily enough, I was just this second thinking of this name as I've just used the reference She Who Must Be Obeyed somewhere else on the site.*

Do I like it? No. And no again.

*The character Rumpole from Rumpole in the Bailey has a wife called Hilda, who he refers to as SHMBO

I LOVE it - it is dh's favourite name and it is a huge contender for dc5 (along with with Sybil and Mildred).

I really don't like it. But I do like Zelda. I quite like Belinda. Maybe those names ending in -da are due a revival. Belinda in particular.

Zelda = elderly Jewish aunt or Princess in computer game series.

I can't imagine a baby called Zelda.