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Home › Baby Names Directory › Brenda

Brenda

♀ Girl

Pronounced BREN-duh /ˈbrɛn.də/High

Meaning: Sword; from Old Norse brand (sword, blade) or possibly the feminine of Brendan (Irish: prince)Medium

In 30 seconds: A name of Norse or Irish origin, meaning 'sword' from Old Norse brand or possibly the feminine of Brendan. It was a top-10 U.S. name in the 1950s–1960s and is now solidly vintage.
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Origin MediumNorse, Irish
MeaningSword; from Old Norse brand (sword, blade) or possibly the feminine of Brendan (Irish: prince)
U.S. rank (2025)#1527 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births139 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1957
Total births (all-time)≈ 608,470

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 195718972025

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

Brenda is believed to derive from Old Norse brand (sword, flame) or possibly the Scottish/Irish feminine form of Brendan. The Norse brand gave English the word 'brand' (originally a burning sword).

Brenda was in the U.S. top 10 in the 1950s and 1960s. It declined through the 1970s–80s and ranked #1139 for girls in 2024.

Did you know? Brenda Starr, Reporter — the first female action comic-strip heroine, created by Dale Messick in 1940 — gave Brenda its association with bold, independent womanhood at the exact moment the name was rising to popularity.
Overall data confidence 82%
Behind the Name — Brenda — Norse/Irish etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

BrinnaBrendah

Nicknames

BrenBrennie

Famous Bearers

  • ★Brenda Lee (1944–present)
    American singer known as 'Little Miss Dynamite,' with hits including Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and I'm Sorry.

If you like Brenda…

Linda— Spanish/Germanic -inda name from the same era
Belinda— -linda compound name from the same mid-century cohort
Frida— echoes that soft -da sound
Bridgette— the same classic feel
Bria— shares Brenda's Irish roots

Explore names like Brenda

By themeclassicirishvintagenorsemid-centurysword
By meaningRoyal / Noble

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Brenda mean?

Brenda likely means 'sword' from Old Norse brand, or is the feminine form of Brendan (Irish: prince). The etymology is disputed.

How do you pronounce Brenda?

It's said BREN-duh — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Brenda a boy or girl name?

Brenda is used as a girls' name.

How popular is Brenda?

Brenda ranked #1139 for U.S. girls in 2024.

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