Girls' name · since 1885

Hildegarde

Since 1885, U.S. Social Security records show 2,326 babies named Hildegarde, peaking in 1915. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#4,251 of 72,339
all-time among girls
2,326
born since 1885
1910s
peak decade

2,326 girls have been named Hildegarde since 1885, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

Hildegarde has 2,326 recorded births among girls since 1885, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1910s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1885 to 1961.

  • #4,251 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 2,326 born since 1885
  • 1910s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Hildegarde ranks #4,251 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,326 born since 1885, peaking in the 1910s.

#4,251 of 72,339
all-time among girls
2,326
born since 1885
1910s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Hildegarde's 2,326 recorded births place it above 94.12% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

13 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

13 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Wisconsin.

Hildegarde's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Hildegarde's full recorded timeline at 1924, 37% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 63% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1956, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1915 peak of 124 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Hildegarde popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1885–1961

Last recorded 1961
Peak year (1915)
124
Annual births at peak, across 77 years of records
050100150 188518971907191719271937194719581961 13

Hildegarde by decade

1910s is the heaviest window (719 births, 31% of the file).

1910s was Hildegarde's strongest decade.

719 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.

Hildegarde births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1910s at 719 births (31% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Hildegarde compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Hildegarde's total volume

Hildegarde vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -31, 6.1%-35, 8.4%-42, 6%-36, 8.4%-128, 4.1%-71, 15.6%-64, 11.2%-72, 4.2%-52, 5.2%-84, 5.1%-38, 9.1%-22, 11.5%-34, 8.7%-96, 4.2%-52, 5.2%Hildegarde-77, 5.3%Hildegarde
Hildegarde vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Hildegarde by state

Where Hildegarde concentrates geographically, total births since 1885

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Hildegarde
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Wisconsin
233 10.0%
#2 New York
174 7.5%
#3 Minnesota
67 2.9%
#4 Ohio
51 2.2%
#5 Illinois
49 2.1%
#6 Pennsylvania
48 2.1%
#7 New Jersey
35 1.5%
#8 Indiana
31 1.3%
Wisconsin share of Hildegarde's total US births 10.0%
Even split

233 of 2,326 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 13 reporting states.

Hildegarde appears in 13 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Hildegarde?
Since 1885, Social Security records show 2,326 babies named Hildegarde. Across the full SSA archive it ranks #4,251 of 72,339 girls' names by total births. The most recent recorded year was 1961. Its busiest year on record was 1915, with 124 births.
Where does Hildegarde sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Hildegarde ranks #4,251 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Hildegarde most popular?
Hildegarde was most popular in the 1910s decade with 719 total births. The single peak year was 1915.
Where is Hildegarde most popular?
The top states for the name Hildegarde are Wisconsin (233 births), New York (174 births), Minnesota (67 births).
How long has the name Hildegarde been used?
Hildegarde has been recorded in Social Security data since 1885, spanning 77 years of data through 1961.
What names are similar to Hildegarde?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Hilda, Hillary, Hilary, Hilma, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Hildegarde's data

  • Hildegarde's decade-level peak was the 1910s (719 total births); usage has since declined to 18 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Wisconsin records the most Hildegardes (233 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Wisconsin names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Hildegarde

Nearby Names Like Hildegarde

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Hildegarde

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Hildegarde: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1885–1961 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Hildegarde draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.