Hannah vs Matilda
Hannah and Matildacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Hannah was ranked #73 and Matilda #16 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Hannah was ranked #21 and Matilda #106 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Hannah was ranked #77 and Matilda #27 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #107 and Matilda #31 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #57 and Matilda #110 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Matilda #148 among girls in Scotland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Hannah was ranked #116 and Matilda #150 among girls in Norway.
Hannah and Matilda over time
Hannah and Matilda appear together in 6 published lists, across 148 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Matilda in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Hannah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Matilda in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2013, Matilda moved ahead of Hannah in England and Wales · Girls — #42 and #47 the year before became #44 and #36.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Hannah and Matilda averaged 19.5 places apart, ending at #73 and #16.
- Longest-running competitions
Hannah and Matilda were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 30 years, from 1986 to 2025, ending at #116 and #150.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1965–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Matilda in 0.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Matilda #97 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Matilda #106.
Norway · Girls30 shared years, 1986–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Matilda in 0.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #25 in 2005, Matilda #145 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #116, Matilda #150.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hannah held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Matilda in 12.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Matilda #25 in 2016.
The order changed in 2013: Matilda moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #42 and #47; by 2013 that had become #44 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #107, Matilda #31.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 2004–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Matilda in 18.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #12 in 2006, Matilda #8 in 2022.
The order changed in 2008: Matilda moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #13 and #26; by 2008 that had become #18 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #73, Matilda #16.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 2004–2024
Hannah held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Matilda in 0.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #8 in 2006, Matilda #91 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #57, Matilda #110.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2023
Hannah held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Matilda in 8.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #19 in 2009, Matilda #20 in 2021.
The order changed in 2016: Matilda moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #29 and #41; by 2016 that had become #27 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Hannah #77, Matilda #27.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Hannah | Matilda |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness. | Commonly interpreted as 'strength in battle' or 'mighty in battle'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhænə/ | /məˈtɪldə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Tilly, Mathilde |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025) | United Kingdom #8 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Matilda is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Hannah has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Matilda.
- Hannah's recorded meaning differs from Matilda's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Hannah a "medium" Data Confidence level and Matilda a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Hannah
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #91 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1978–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1978–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Matilda
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2004–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2022 (recorded 2004–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #16 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls