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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Matilda - just how popular is it?

37 replies

CurwySwide · 17/08/2011 08:59

I have loved this name for years - it has become more popular recently and is now in the middle or thereabouts of the top 100 girls' names charts and the most common response to it on this board is that is 'too popular/faddy' etc.

I don't know any Matildas at all - how many do you know if you don't mind me asking? Thank you!

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YouDoTheMath · 17/08/2011 12:30

I know a two year old called Matilda.

MockingbirdsNotForSale · 17/08/2011 12:23

I know of 2, one 20 months old and one 10 months. When I went to school there were 4 girls in my year and 3 of us had the same name. It did not matter. Anyway all 3 of us used the names differently iyswim. I really do not think that children assign new nicknames at school. Nn's for Matilda I like Tilda for older and Mattie for younger.

Chocolocolate · 17/08/2011 11:39

Thanks for starting this thread CurwySwide - we've been wondering exactly the same thing!

Love the name Matilda but worried as everyone on MN seems to say it's really popular. We're worried that when we have our first (due November) and he/she goes to nursery, the nursery will be overrun with little Matildas.

We live in the Midlands, but spend a lot of time in North Yorkshire and I don't know any.

tammytoby · 17/08/2011 11:38

Also, lots of girls called Tilly or Tilda (quoted separately on ONS site) might be Matildas, so may be more pooular than the statistics suggest.

tammytoby · 17/08/2011 11:37

Very popular. Why don't you have a look at last years ONS statistics?

Original poster
CurwySwide · 17/08/2011 10:12

We would keep with Matilda - maybe Tilda - though I realise that nicknames would be out of my hands pretty quickly once she was at school!

Thank you

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pinkgirlythoughts · 17/08/2011 10:03

I know one, she's 4, but I know lots of Tilly/Tillies (nicknames without the long name are much more common where I live). Like instant said, people often describe it as faddy because it's had a big leap in popularity very quickly.

InstantAtom · 17/08/2011 09:53

I think it can seem popular/faddy as it sprung from very unpopular to quite popular fairly quickly. Having said that I only know one Matilda/Tilly and another with Matilda as middle name.

Personally, I'm afraid I still think of Matilda as a rather clunky name along with other "ilda" or "elda" names like Hilda, Clotilda, Griselda, Brunhilda.

However lots of people seem to like it, and if you love it then use it!

Original poster
CurwySwide · 17/08/2011 09:51

Thank you for your responses - it's really good to hear others' opinions/feedback. I really don't think I would be swayed by popularity, but it's good to know all the same.

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monstermissy · 17/08/2011 09:06

my friend has just named their baby Matilda, i love it. Havent heard of any others though. We are in south east.

scarlettlips · 17/08/2011 09:05

Should of said we live in SW London

scarlettlips · 17/08/2011 09:03

Hi Curwy I've only met 1 Matilda she's about 14months.

I LOVED my DD's name for years and years..thankfully my husband agreed. So I was delighted when we had her so I could use it. If you love Matilda than pick Matilda xxx