There's a category of names that I love that really doesn't get much play anymore: the -ildas & -eldas. Maybe it's the medieval feel, or the Germanic clunkiness, or the way the L & D roll together, regardless, I love them all.
Chances are you can only think of
Matilda and maybe
Clotilda (or
Romilda &
Bathilda,
Harry Potter nerds), since Germanic names have been on the decline in English for quite some time. Most are derived from Germanic -
hild- "battle", but I'm sure we can find a few from different origins....
- Agenilda (ah-gayn-EEL-dah, [archaic] English)--"sharp" or "enclosure" + "battle"
- Aitilde (eh-TEELD, [archaic] French)--from Germanic, "brilliant battle"
- Altilde (ahl-TEELD, [archaic] French)--from Germanic, "old battle"
- Alvilda (ahl-VIL-dah, Scandinavian)--"elf battle". Other forms include Alfilda (archaic English), Alwilda, Awilda, & Elfilda (archaic English).
- Arilda (ah-RIL-dah, Scandinavian)--feminine of Arnold or Harold
- Åshilde (ohs-HIL-deh, Norwegian)--"god-battle". Other forms include Åsilde & Áshilda.
- Batilda (bah-TEEL-dah, [archaic] English)--"bold" or "battle" + "battle". Other forms include Bathilda.
- Benilda (beh-NEEL-dah, Spanish)--poss. "bear battle"
- Bertilda (behr-TIL-dah, German)--"bright battle". Other forms include Berthilde.
- Brunilda (broo-NEEL-dah, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish)--"battle protection". Other forms include Brynhilde & Brynilda (both Scandinavian)
- Casilda (kah-SEEL-dah, Spanish)--origin unknown, poss. Arabic
- Clotilda (kloh-TIL-dah, English)--"famous battle".
- Ermenegilda (ehr-meh-neh-JEEL-dah, Italian)--"whole sacrifice". Other forms include Ermenilda (archaic English)
- Estrilda (ays-TREEL-dah, [archaic] English)--"Easter-battle". Other forms include Estrelda.
- Everilda (ay-ver-REEL-dah, [archaic] English)--"boar battle". Other forms include Averilde.
- Farhilde (fahr-HIL-deh, German)--"battle journey"
- Götilda (yu [u like in English "put"]-TIL-tah, Swedish)--"Goth battle"
- Griselda (grih-ZEL-dah, English, Spanish)--poss. "grey battle" or "Christ's battle"
- Gunilda (goon-EEL-dah, Old Swedish)--"battle" + "battle". Other forms include Gunhilda.
- Imelda (ee-MEL-dah, Italian, Spanish)--"whole battle"
- Ishilde (ees-HILD-eh, German)--"iron battle", poss. older form of Isolde.
- Lantilde (lahn-TEELD, [archaic] French)--from Germanic "land battle"
- Leonilda (leh-oh-NEEL-dah, Italian)--poss. "lion battle"
- Luilda (loo-EEL-dah, [archaic] English)--"beloved battle"
- Matilda (mah-TIL-dah, English, Scandinavian)--"battle strength"
- Merilda (meh-REEL-dah, [archaic] English)--"famous battle"
- Mirielda (meer-ee-EL-dah, [archaic] English)--form of Muriel
- Norhilde (nohr-HIL-deh, German)--"north battle"
- Orielda (oh-ree-EL-dah, [archaic] English)--origin unknown, poss. "without battle"
- Otilda (oh-TIL-dah, Swedish)--"battle wealth" or a form of Ottilia
- Quenilda (kwayn-EEL-dah, [archaic] English)--"queen battle"
- Ragnhilda (rahng-HIL-dah, Scandinavian)--"battle advisor". Other forms include Raginilda (archaic English), Reinhilde (archaic French), & Reynilda (archaic English).
- Rikilda (ree-KEEL-dah, [archaic] English)--"brave battle". Other forms include Richilda & Richelda.
- Romilda (roh-MEEL-dah, Italian)--"famous battle"
- Rosilda (roh-SEEL-dah, Italian)--poss. "horse battle" or a form of Rose
- Runilda (roo-NEEL-dah, [archaic] English)--"secret battle". Other forms include Ronilda & Runhilde (German).
- Seilda (seh-IL-dah, [archaic] English)--"sea battle"
- Sonnhilde (son-HIL-deh, German)--"sun battle"
- Swanhilda (svahn-HIL-dah, German)--"swan battle". Other forms include Sunilda, Svanhilda, & Swanilda (archaic English)
- Sygnilde (sing-NIL-deh, Norwegian)--"battle victory" or a combination of Signy & Hilde. Other forms include Søgnilde.
- Torilde (toh-RIL-deh, Norwegian)--"Thor's battle". Other forms include Durilda (archaic English), Torhilda & Turilde.
- Ursilda (oor-SEEL-dah, [archaic] German)--origin unknown