| Griselda | Matilda | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Grey battle-maid | Battle-mighty |
| Origin | germanic | germanic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | grih-ZEL-duh | muh-TIL-duh |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1993 (307) | 2025 (838) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 838 |
| Trend | Vintage | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Griselda | Matilda |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 266 | 4,390 |
| 2010s | 489 | 5,241 |
| 2000s | 1,227 | 1,712 |
| 1990s | 2,299 | 486 |
| 1980s | 2,231 | 359 |
| 1970s | 1,703 | 620 |
| 1960s | 550 | 983 |
| 1950s | 208 | 1,179 |
| 1940s | 77 | 1,284 |
| 1930s | 41 | 2,033 |
| 1920s | 23 | 5,016 |
| 1910s | 5 | 5,293 |
| 1900s | 5 | 2,892 |
| 1890s | 0 | 3,249 |
| 1880s | 0 | 2,533 |
From the Germanic elements 'gris' (grey) and 'hild' (battle). Widely known from the patient-wife tale retold by Boccaccio and Chaucer.
From the Germanic elements 'maht' (might, strength) and 'hild' (battle), giving the sense 'mighty in battle'. Popularized by the 11th-century Queen Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror.
Matilda is more popular than Griselda today: about 838 US babies were given the name Matilda in 2025, compared with 0 named Griselda.
Griselda means Grey battle-maid (germanic origin), while Matilda means Battle-mighty (germanic origin).
In US records, Griselda first appears in 0 and Matilda in 1880, so Griselda has the longer recorded history.