Bridget

Bridget is the English form of the Irish Brighid, now usually written Bríd or Brigid. The name is generally linked to the Irish word brígh, meaning power or strength, and is sometimes explained as “exalted one”. Before it was a saint’s name it belonged to Brigid, a goddess of the early Irish associated with healing, craft and fire.

Its popularity comes mostly from Saint Brigid of Kildare, who founded a monastery there in the fifth or sixth century. She is one of the three patron saints of Ireland, and 1 February, her feast day, is marked by the making of Brigid’s crosses from rushes. Many of the stories about her echo the older goddess.

For much of the twentieth century Bridget was among the most common girls’ names in Ireland. It reached number 7 in 1967, and 595 girls were named Bridget in 1964 alone. It then fell steadily. In 2025, 20 girls were given the name, while Bríd and Brigid are counted separately.