Matilda

/məˈtɪldə/

//məˈtɪldə// name

"matilda" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Matilda” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,701. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,701
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A female given name from the Germanic languages.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Matilda vs Manila
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Matilda
PropertyValue
HeadwordMatilda
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/məˈtɪldə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#20,701
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Matilda” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Matilda lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around Matilda (IPA /məˈtɪldə/), aproper noun. Corpus frequency is #20,701 among 36,575 “M” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A female given name from the Germanic languages.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for Matilda, with forms such as "amtilda", "maitlda", and "matidla". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "Manila", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English Matilda, from Old French Mathilde, from Old High German Mahthilt, Mehthilt, from Proto-West Germanic *Mahtihild, from Proto-Germanic *Mahtihildiz; compare German Mechthild, Old English Mæþhild (“Matilda”). The correct English form is Matilda, spelled M-A-T-I-L-D-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    A female given name from the Germanic languages.

Etymology

From Middle English Matilda, from Old French Mathilde, from Old High German Mahthilt, Mehthilt, from Proto-West Germanic *Mahtihild, from Proto-Germanic *Mahtihildiz; compare German Mechthild, Old English Mæþhild (“Matilda”).

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • amtilda
  • maitlda
  • matidla
  • matilad
  • matildda
  • matillda
  • matlida
  • mattilda
  • mmatilda
  • mtailda

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Matilda - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

amtilda2maitlda2matidla2matilad2matildda1matillda1matlida2mattilda1
Edit distance from "Matilda"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Matilda"?
"Matilda" is spelled M-A-T-I-L-D-A. The IPA pronunciation is /məˈtɪldə/.
What does "Matilda" mean?
As a proper noun, "Matilda" means: A female given name from the Germanic languages.
What words are commonly confused with "Matilda"?
"Matilda" is commonly confused with "Manila". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Matilda"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Matilda" is /məˈtɪldə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Matilda"?
From Middle English Matilda, from Old French Mathilde, from Old High German Mahthilt, Mehthilt, from Proto-West Germanic *Mahtihild, from Proto-Germanic *Mahtihildiz; compare German Mechthild, Old English Mæþhild (“Matilda”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Matilda”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-T-I-L-D-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /məˈtɪldə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Manila” - see the side-by-side comparison. Matilda vs Manila
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list