Hazel vs Matilda
Hazel 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, Hazel was ranked #8 and Matilda #16 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Hazel was ranked #10 and Matilda #27 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Hazel was ranked #75 and Matilda #31 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Hazel was ranked #55 and Matilda #106 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Hazel was ranked #97 and Matilda #148 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Hazel was ranked #169 and Matilda #110 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Hazel and Matilda over time
Hazel and Matilda appear together in 5 published lists, across 97 years of shared records. Matilda held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Hazel in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Matilda reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Hazel in none. 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 2024, Hazel moved ahead of Matilda in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #15 and #10 the year before became #8 and #16.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Hazel and Matilda changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1965 and 2025, ending at #55 and #106.
- Longest-running competitions
Hazel and Matilda were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1965 to 2025, ending at #55 and #106.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Hazel #8 in 2024, Matilda #8 in 2022.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1965–2025
Hazel held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Matilda in 2.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #44 in 2024, Matilda #97 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hazel #55, Matilda #106.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hazel held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matilda in 29.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #75 in 2024, Matilda #25 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hazel #75, Matilda #31.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2023
Hazel held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Matilda in 3.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #10 in 2023, Matilda #20 in 2021.
The order changed in 2017: Hazel moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #28 and #24; by 2017 that had become #25 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Hazel #10, Matilda #27.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 2014–2025
Hazel held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Matilda in 10.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #8 in 2024, Matilda #8 in 2022.
The order changed in 2024: Hazel moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #15 and #10; by 2024 that had become #8 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hazel #8, Matilda #16.
Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 2008–2024
Hazel held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matilda in 9.
Highest recorded here: Hazel #169 in 2024, Matilda #95 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hazel #169, Matilda #110.
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 | Hazel | Matilda |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the English word for the hazel tree, or the light brown colour associated with it, ultimately from Old English 'hæsel'. Created as a given name in the 19th century. | Commonly interpreted as 'strength in battle' or 'mighty in battle'. |
| Origin | English (nature name) | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈheɪ.zəl/ | /məˈtɪldə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Tilly, Mathilde |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #8 (2025) | United Kingdom #8 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Hazel is recorded with a English (nature name) origin, while Matilda is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Hazel has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Matilda.
- Hazel'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, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Hazel 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
Hazel
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #154 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 recorded2014–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2024 (recorded 2014–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #8 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