Namewise

Matilda vs Mia

Matilda and Miacompared 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, Matilda was ranked #16 and Mia #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Matilda was ranked #106 and Mia #11 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Matilda was ranked #27 and Mia #13 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Matilda was ranked #31 and Mia #14 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Matilda was ranked #110 and Mia #20 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Matilda was ranked #150 and Mia #21 among girls in Norway.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Matilda was ranked #148 and Mia #26 among girls in Scotland.

Matilda and Mia over time

Matilda and Mia appear together in 6 published lists, across 142 years of shared records. Mia held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Matilda in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Mia 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Matilda and Mia averaged 51.9 places apart, ending at #31 and #14.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Matilda and Mia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 30 years, from 1986 to 2025, ending at #150 and #21.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Matilda #91 in 2017, Mia #14 in 2015.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls30 shared years, 19862025

    Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mia in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Matilda #145 in 2023, Mia #8 in 2011.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #150, Mia #21.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mia in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Matilda #25 in 2016, Mia #5 in 2019.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Matilda #31, Mia #14.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 19872025

    Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mia in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Matilda #97 in 2016, Mia #6 in 2012.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #106, Mia #11.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 20042025

    Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mia in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Matilda #8 in 2022, Mia #2 in 2008.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #16, Mia #5.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 20042024

    Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mia in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Matilda #91 in 2017, Mia #14 in 2015.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Matilda #110, Mia #20.

  • New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 20092023

    Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mia in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Matilda #20 in 2021, Mia #7 in 2017.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Matilda #27, Mia #13.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Matilda, Mia
FieldMatildaMia
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'strength in battle' or 'mighty in battle'.Directly a diminutive of Maria.
OriginGermanicScandinavian/Italian, via Maria
Pronunciation/məˈtɪldə//ˈmiːə/
Syllables31
Common variants / nicknamesTilly, MathildeNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationUnited Kingdom #8 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #5 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Matilda is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Mia is recorded with a Scandinavian/Italian, via Maria origin.
  • Matilda has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Mia.
  • Matilda's recorded meaning differs from Mia'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 Matilda a "high" Data Confidence level and Mia a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Matilda

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded2004–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2022 (recorded 2004–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #16 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Mia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1947

    First recorded at #357 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2008 (recorded 1997–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls