Matilda vs Sophia
Matilda and Sophiacompared 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 Sophia #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Matilda was ranked #148 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Matilda was ranked #110 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Matilda was ranked #19 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Matilda was ranked #106 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Matilda was ranked #27 and Sophia #29 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Matilda was ranked #150 and Sophia #88 among girls in Norway.
Matilda and Sophia over time
Matilda and Sophia appear together in 6 published lists, across 148 years of shared records. Sophia 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.
Sophia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Matilda 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 Sophia changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 2004 and 2025, ending at #16 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Matilda and Sophia averaged 33.0 places apart, ending at #19 and #13.
- Longest-running competitions
Matilda and Sophia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #19 and #13.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1965–2025
Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 31.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #97 in 2016, Sophia #13 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #106, Sophia #14.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 30.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #19 in 2025, Sophia #7 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #19, Sophia #13.
Norway · Girls29 shared years, 1987–2025
Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 29.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #145 in 2023, Sophia #59 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #150, Sophia #88.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 2004–2025
Matilda held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Sophia in 18.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #8 in 2022, Sophia #6 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matilda #16, Sophia #6.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 2004–2024
Matilda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 20.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #91 in 2017, Sophia #4 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matilda #110, Sophia #8.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2023
Matilda held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Sophia in 10.
Highest recorded here: Matilda #20 in 2021, Sophia #9 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matilda #27, Sophia #29.
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 | Sophia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'strength in battle' or 'mighty in battle'. | Wisdom. |
| Origin | Germanic | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /məˈtɪldə/ | /soʊˈfiə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Tilly, Mathilde | Sophie, Sofia |
| 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 #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Matilda is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Matilda has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sophia.
- Matilda's recorded meaning differs from Sophia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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 #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophia
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 recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls