The first name Brenda
A girl’s name from Norse meaning “sword”.
Pronounced /ˈbɹɛndə/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Norse origin
Brenda means “sword” in Norse.
Possibly from Old Norse brandr (“sword”); by folk etymology seen as a feminine form of Brendan. Its use as a nickname for Queen Elizabeth II originated in Private Eye in reaction to a perceived attempt by the royals to appear less distant and upper class.
More names that mean sword.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Brenda last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 4 girls. It peaked in 2006, with 14 births (#1,660).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Brenda with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Brenda at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 139 girls born in the United States were named Brenda, the 1,527th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1957, when 24,339 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Brenda
50 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Brenda SongAmerican actress and model (born 1988)
- Brenda BlethynBritish actress, born 1946
- Brenda VaccaroAmerican actress, born 1939
- Brenda LeeAmerican singer and recording artist (born 1944)
- Brenda StrongAmerican actress (born 1960)
- Brenda MilnerCanada-based British neuroscientist and neuropsychologist, born 1918
- Brenda AsnicarArgentine actress, born 1991
- Brenda ChapmanAmerican animator, storyboard artist, and director, born 1962
- Brenda BakkeAmerican actress, born 1963
- Brenda K. StarrAmerican musician (born 1966)
- Brenda MarshallAmerican actress (1915-1992)
- Brenda JoyceAmerican film actress (1917–2009)
More Norse girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Brenda mean?
- Brenda means “sword” in Norse.
- What is the origin of the name Brenda?
- Possibly from Old Norse brandr (“sword”); by folk etymology seen as a feminine form of Brendan. Its use as a nickname for Queen Elizabeth II originated in Private Eye in reaction to a perceived attempt by the royals to appear less distant and upper class.
- How popular is the name Brenda?
- In 2024, 4 girls born in England and Wales were named Brenda, ranking 4,843rd. Its peak was 2006, with 14 births.
- Is Brenda a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 610,597 US babies named Brenda since 1880 were girls.
- When was Brenda most popular?
- 1957 in the United States, when 24,339 babies were named Brenda, its highest rank at 13th.
- How do you pronounce Brenda?
- Brenda is /ˈbɹɛndə/, 2 syllables.