Hilde
Hilde is one of several female given names derived from the name Hild formed from Old Norse hildr, meaning "battle". Hild, a Nordic-German Bellona, was a Valkyrie who conveyed fallen warriors to Valhalla. Warfare was often called Hild's Game. Hilde was popular in Norway from the 1950s until the 1970s. It is a variant of Hilda, which in turn is a more recent variation of Hildur.
- German
- Dutch
- Norwegian
Meaning & Origin of Hilde
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Hilde is one of several female given names derived from the name Hild formed from Old Norse hildr, meaning "battle". Hild, a Nordic-German Bellona, was a Valkyrie who conveyed fallen warriors to Valhalla. Warfare was often called Hild's Game. Hilde was popular in Norway from the 1950s until the 1970s. It is a variant of Hilda, which in turn is a more recent variation of Hildur.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
- Dutch
- Norwegian
The Story of Hilde
Hilde first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1916, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 19 births, good for #6,166 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 24% of all recorded Hildes. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #7,438 among baby girl names with 14 births, rising sharply (+28% over the past five years). In total, more than 407 Hildes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Hilde
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Hilde. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Hilde
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Hilde Benjamin (1902–1989), East German judge who presided over political show trials
- Hilde Bergebakken (born 1963), Norwegian Socialist Left Party politician
- Hilde De Baerdemaeker (born 1978), Flemish actress
- Hilde Bruch (1904–1984), German-born American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst
- Hilde Coppi (1909–1943), German communist and anti-Nazi resistance fighter
- Hilde Crevits (born 1967), Belgian politician
- Hilde Domin (1909–2006), German lyric poet and writer
- Hilde Gerg (born 1975), German former alpine skier
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Hilde
Phonetically similar names — useful when Hilde is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Hild
- Hilled
- Held
- Hulled
- Heled
- Helled
- Huld
- Hold
- Healed
- Hilt
- Howled
- Hailed
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hilde
What does the name Hilde mean?
What is the origin of the name Hilde?
How popular is Hilde in 2026?
When was Hilde most popular?
In which U.S. states is Hilde most popular?
Is Hilde a unisex name?
What names go well with Hilde?
What are nicknames or variants of Hilde?
About the name Hilde
Hilde is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1916 and has accumulated 407 births in the dataset. Hilde's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #2,921. Use the chart and map above to compare Hilde's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.