Hulda

♀ Girl

Pronounced HULL-duh /ˈhʊl.də/Medium

Meaning: Hulda has two roots. In Hebrew it is Huldah ('weasel' or 'mole'), the name of a biblical prophetess. Separately, in Old Norse and Scandinavian tradition Hulda means 'hidden, secret', tied to the huldufolk (hidden folk). Immigrant families used both threads.Low

In 30 seconds: An old-world settler name: Hulda is both the biblical prophetess Huldah and a Norse word for 'hidden' (said 'HULL-duh'). It was already fading by the 1890s.

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Origin LowHebrew, Norse

MeaningHulda has two roots. In Hebrew it is Huldah ('weasel' or 'mole'), the name of a biblical prophetess. Separately, in Old Norse and Scandinavian tradition Hulda means 'hidden, secret', tied to the huldufolk (hidden folk). Immigrant families used both threads.

U.S. rank (1980)#10951 ↘ Falling

1980 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1895

Total births (all-time)≈ 5,407

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Hulda reaches back to the Hebrew prophetess Huldah ('weasel; mole') and to the Old Norse Hulda ('hidden, secret'), a name of the huldufolk. Scandinavian and German immigrant families carried it to America, where it was most common in the late nineteenth century, peaking around 1895. Its dual roots are disputed, which we note (said 'HULL-duh').

The name slid out of use across the twentieth century as immigrant naming shifted. It now feels distinctly old-world. Biblical and Norse at once, and genuinely rare today.

Did you know? Hulda carries two stories at once, the Hebrew prophetess Huldah and the Norse Hulda ('hidden one') of Scandinavian folklore, and its American peak came very early, around the 1890s.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Hulda — Hebrew Huldah 'weasel/mole' (prophetess); Norse 'hidden'; disputed

Variations

HuldahHuldeHolda

Nicknames

LuluHulie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hulda…

Hilda— a like old Germanic settler name

Olga— a like Scandinavian immigrant classic

Selma— a like nineteenth-century old-world name

Brenda— shares the -da ending

Frida— another Norse name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hulda mean?

In Hebrew, Huldah means 'weasel' or 'mole' and was a prophetess; in Old Norse, Hulda means 'hidden, secret'. The two roots are disputed.

How do you pronounce Hulda?

It's said HULL-duh /ˈhʊl.də/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Hulda a boy or girl name?

Hulda is a girl's name, borne by a biblical prophetess and in Scandinavian folklore.

Is Hulda making a comeback?

It remains very rare, though its old-world sound has quiet appeal to fans of antique names.