Hilda

[ˈhɪl.də]

Meaning

short form of Germanic names containing the element hild, "battle"

Background Story

Hilda began as a short form of Germanic names containing the Old Frankish hildi, Old High German hilt or Old English hild, all meaning "battle". The short form was used for both Old English and continental Germanic names. Saint Hilda, or Hild, of Whitby was a 7th-century English saint and abbess, and the name became rare in England during the later Middle Ages before being revived in the 19th century. Variants include Hylda, Hilde, Hildur, the English nickname Hildy, and the Hungarian form Ildikó.