Matilda vs Poppy
Matilda and Poppycompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Matilda was ranked #31 and Poppy #8 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Matilda was ranked #16 and Poppy #45 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Matilda was ranked #148 and Poppy #24 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Matilda was ranked #27 and Poppy #36 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Matilda was ranked #110 and Poppy #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Matilda was ranked #106 and Poppy #105 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Matilda and Poppy over time
Matilda and Poppy appear together in 5 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Poppy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Matilda in 2.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Matilda reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Poppy in 2. 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Matilda and Poppy changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 2009 and 2023, ending at #27 and #36.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Matilda and Poppy averaged 39.0 places apart, ending at #31 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Matilda #25 in 2016, Poppy #5 in 2014.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Poppy in 29.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #25 in 2016, Poppy #5 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matilda #31, Poppy #8.
Republic of Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2025
Matilda held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Poppy in 16.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #97 in 2016, Poppy #89 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #106, Poppy #105.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 2004–2024
Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Poppy in 20.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #91 in 2017, Poppy #27 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matilda #110, Poppy #47.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 2009–2025
Matilda held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Poppy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #8 in 2022, Poppy #44 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #16, Poppy #45.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2023
Matilda held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Poppy in 5.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #20 in 2021, Poppy #27 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matilda #27, Poppy #36.
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 | Matilda | Poppy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'strength in battle' or 'mighty in battle'. | Taken directly from the English word for the red flower. |
| Origin | Germanic | English, from Old English popæg, ultimately from Latin papaver |
| Pronunciation | /məˈtɪldə/ | /ˈpɒpi/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Tilly, Mathilde | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #8 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #45 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Matilda is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Poppy is recorded with a English, from Old English popæg, ultimately from Latin papaver origin.
- Matilda has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Poppy.
- Matilda's recorded meaning differs from Poppy'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 Matilda a "high" Data Confidence level and Poppy 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
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
Poppy
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #517 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in England and Wales, in 2014 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #45 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls