Gender | Female |
---|---|
Origin | |
Word/name | Germanic |
Meaning | elf-strength |
Elfriede, also known as Elfreda, Elfrida, Alfrida, Aelfrida, Elfrieda, Elftrude, Elftraut among other variants, is a female given name, derived from Ælfþryð (Aelfthryth) meaning "elf-strength". The name fell out of fashion in the Middle Ages and was revived in the 19th century in both England and Germany. Although some of its modern forms like Alfieda can be mistaken for feminine versions of Alfred, that derives from Ælfræd ('elf-counsel' or 'wise-elf'). The Southern German diminutive Friedel or Friedl is nowadays more common than the full name.