 The goddess Freyja depicted in a portrait by Nils Blommér. | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈfreɪ.ə/ FRAY-ə |
|---|---|
| Gender | female |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Old Norse |
| Meaning | "Lady" |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Freyja, Freja, Frøya, Frida, Priya, Ffreuer, Freydis |
Freya is an Old Norse feminine given name derived from the name of the Old Norse word for noble lady (Freyja). The theonym of the goddess Freyja is thus considered to have been an epithet in origin, replacing a personal name that is now unattested.[1][2]
Freya, along with its variants, has been a popular name in recent years in English-speaking countries, Germany, and Scandinavian countries.[3][4]
- ^ Grundy, Stephan (1998). "Freyja and Frigg". In Billington, Sandra; Green, Miranda (eds.). The Concept of the Goddess. Routledge. pp. 55–56. ISBN 0-415-19789-9.
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 104. ISBN 0-19-861060-2.
- ^ "Meaning, origin and history of the name Freya".
- ^ "Names that increased in popularity from 2021 to 2022". ssa.gov. United States Social Security Administration. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.