Matilda vs Sofia
Matilda and Sofiacompared 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 Sofia #12 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Matilda was ranked #16 and Sofia #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Matilda was ranked #150 and Sofia #13 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Matilda was ranked #148 and Sofia #22 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Matilda was ranked #106 and Sofia #23 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Matilda was ranked #27 and Sofia #61 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Matilda was ranked #110 and Sofia #70 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Matilda and Sofia over time
Matilda and Sofia appear together in 6 published lists, across 141 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 4 of those lists, Sofia 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2018, Sofia moved ahead of Matilda in England and Wales · Girls — #27 and #31 the year before became #31 and #29.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Matilda and Sofia averaged 20.2 places apart, ending at #31 and #12.
- Longest-running competitions
Matilda and Sofia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 30 years, from 1986 to 2025, ending at #150 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Matilda #20 in 2021, Sofia #49 in 2022.
List by list
Norway · Girls30 shared years, 1986–2025
Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sofia in 30.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #145 in 2023, Sofia #10 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #150, Sofia #13.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matilda held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Sofia in 11.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #25 in 2016, Sofia #12 in 2024.
The order changed in 2018: Sofia moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #27 and #31; by 2018 that had become #31 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matilda #31, Sofia #12.
Republic of Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2025
Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sofia in 26.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #97 in 2016, Sofia #23 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #106, Sofia #23.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 2004–2025
Matilda held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Sofia in 1.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #8 in 2022, Sofia #13 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #16, Sofia #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 2004–2024
Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sofia in 19.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #91 in 2017, Sofia #36 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matilda #110, Sofia #70.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2023
Matilda held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Sofia in 4.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #20 in 2021, Sofia #49 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matilda #27, Sofia #61.
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 | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'strength in battle' or 'mighty in battle'. | A form of Sophia used across many languages, from the Greek word for 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Germanic | Greek, via Sophia |
| Pronunciation | /məˈtɪldə/ | /soˈfia/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #8 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #13 (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 Sofia is recorded with a Greek, via Sophia origin.
- Matilda has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sofia.
- Matilda's recorded meaning differs from Sofia'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 Sofia 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
Sofia
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #518 among girls in Norway in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1968–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Norway, in 2016 (recorded 1968–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls