Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Baby names

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

Flip

1 2

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!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

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

scarlettlips · 17/08/2011 09:05

Should of said we live in SW London

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.

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.

OP posts:

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!

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.

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

OP posts:

tammytoby · 17/08/2011 11:37

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

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.

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.

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.

YouDoTheMath · 17/08/2011 12:30

I know a two year old called Matilda.

CharlieBoo · 17/08/2011 12:33

It's popular where I am (bucks), but if popular doesn't bother you then go for it. It's just not different anymore.

Original poster

CurwySwide · 17/08/2011 12:54

Thanks all for your responses. I don't mind that it's not 'different' - and at no. 53 on the ONS charts it's not actually that 'common' either. It's just a great name!

Chocolocolate - go for it - and good luck for November!

OP posts:

SaffronCake · 17/08/2011 13:30

I've never met one. My DD age 11 says she's come across 2, but one uses Tilly.

PippiLongBottom · 17/08/2011 13:42

I am in Manchester and know five, all under age five. It was my 2nd choice namefor dd who is 9. We went with Madeleine. I hate to say it but the name is crossing all class demographics now.

5GoMadOnAZ650 · 17/08/2011 13:45

I don't know any (norfolk) but do have a Tilly myself.

hollyw · 17/08/2011 17:16

My friend has just called her daughter Matilda and I know of one other on another forum

redglow · 17/08/2011 19:21

I have come across three and I think it is a lovely name I like delilah too.

LifeOfKate · 17/08/2011 21:36

I've never met or heard about one, except on here, I live in the east midlands. That's the thing about popularity lists, every second child could be called Matilda in one area and absolutely none in another. Olivia is the top name at the moment and I've also never met one. On the other hand, Georgia is in the 50s in the charts and I know 2 under the age of 1.

Original poster

CurwySwide · 17/08/2011 21:39

Thanks all - really appreciate it.

LifeofKate - that is so true actually - I don't know any little boys called Jack or Oliver but there must be a lot of them somewhere!

OP posts:

Gleek · 17/08/2011 21:44

I live in Surrey/SW London and have one, she's almost 3 and a half. None at her nursery or other groups we attend, I do know of one other Matilda and she is about 10months old but doesn't live locally.

I think you just have to go for a name you like, it's really only school years where it can become obvious if a name is very popular. Once you're at work (most of your life!) you're with such a wide range of ages I think it becomes completely irrelevant.

LifeOfKate · 17/08/2011 21:57

That's very true, Gleek. We're at school for a relatively short amount of time, so it shouldn't really matter. I do also think that we choose names from a much larger pool now than we used to, so the worry that there will be 20 other kids in the same class is less relevant too as there are more names used overall. People were very 'safe' when naming babies in previous generations.

LifeOfKate · 17/08/2011 21:58

PS, I clicked on this thread because I LOVE the name Matilda but DH has vetoed :( So please please use it, if only for me :o

CarrieOakey · 17/08/2011 22:00

I know one - my beautiful 10 month old niece. It's a lovely name

Flip

1 2