Matilda is a Germanic name composed of maht, might, and hild, battle, and means "mighty in battle" or "battle strength". Empress Matilda fought for the English throne in the 12th century, and Roald Dahl's 1988 book Matilda and its musical gave the name a bookish, spirited image. Matilda returned to the US top 1000 in 2008 and has climbed to number 365 in 2025, its best rank this century.