Where does the name Mildred come from?

Mildred is a girl name of Old English origin.

Is Mildred a boy or a girl name?

Mildred is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Mildred are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Mildred in 2023?

Mildred ranks #1841 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1920 with 18,099 babies.

How do you pronounce Mildred?

Mildred is pronounced MIL-dred (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Mildred?

Mildred is also written as Milly, Millie, Mildrid.

A name from Old English · Girl

Mildred

From Old English mild ('gentle') + thryth ('strength'); 'gentle strength'. Saint Mildred was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon abbess. One of the defining names of early-20th-century America.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

451,225 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

109 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

MFrom Old English mild ('gentle') + thryth ('strength'); 'gentle strength'. Saint Mildred was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon abbess. One of the defining names of early-20th-century America.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Mildred".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Milly Most common Millie Mildrid

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Mildred.

M
Mildred Pierce (Joan Crawford Oscar role)
M
Mildred Loving (civil rights figure)

Quick answers

People often ask about Mildred.

What does the name Mildred mean?: Mildred means from Old English mild ('gentle') + thryth ('strength'); 'gentle strength'. Saint Mildred was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon abbess. One of the defining names of early-20th-century America.
Where does the name Mildred come from?: Mildred is a girl name of Old English origin.
Is Mildred a boy or a girl name?: Mildred is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Mildred are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Mildred in 2023?: Mildred ranks #1841 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1920 with 18,099 babies.
How do you pronounce Mildred?: Mildred is pronounced MIL-dred (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Mildred?: Mildred is also written as Milly, Millie, Mildrid.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.