Gender Feminine
Usage Irish, English
Pronounced Pron. BRIJ-it(English)  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

Anglicized form of the Irish name Brighid, Old Irish Brigit, from old Celtic *Brigantī meaning "the exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.

Related Names

VariantsBreda, Bríd, Bride, Brighid, Brigid(Irish) Bridgette(English)
DiminutivesBedelia, Biddy, Bidelia(Irish) Biddy(English)
Other Languages & CulturesBrigita(Croatian) Brigita, Gita(Czech) Birgit, Birgitta, Birgitte, Berit, Birte, Birthe, Brita, Britt, Britta, Gitte(Danish) Brigitta, Brigitte(Dutch) Birgit, Piret(Estonian) Birita(Faroese) Birgitta, Piritta, Brita, Pirjo, Pirkko, Priita, Riitta(Finnish) Brigitte(French) Birgit, Brigitta, Brigitte, Gitta(German) Brigitta(Hungarian) Birgitta, Birta(Icelandic) Brighid, Brigid, Brigit(Irish Mythology) Brigida(Italian) Brigita, Gita(Latvian) Breeshey(Manx) Birgit, Birgitta, Birgitte, Berit, Brit, Brita, Britt, Britta(Norwegian) Brigit(Old Irish) Brygida(Polish) Brígida(Portuguese) Brigita(Slovak) Brigita(Slovene) Brígida(Spanish) Birgit, Birgitta, Berit, Berith, Brita, Britt, Britta, Gittan(Swedish) Ffraid(Welsh)

Popularity

People think this name is

classic   formal   upper class   natural   wholesome   strong   refined   strange   serious  

Images

Depiction of Saint Brigid of KildareDepiction of Saint Brigid of Kildare

Categories

Entry updated January 21, 2022