Freya: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration

Girl name origins & meanings

Scandinavian : Goddess of love, fertility, and beauty

What does Freya mean and stand for?

The name Freya is of Scandinavian origin and is the name of the goddess of love, fertility, and beauty. It is derived from the Norse word Freyja, meaning "lady." Some consider it to be the feminine version of Freyr, which was the goddess' brother.

Syllables: 2

Girl name variations

Popularity

According to Social Security Administration data, Freya has dramatically increased in popularity since ranking 907 in 2013. It broke the top 200 for the first time in 2020, and reached its peak rank of 179 that year, too.

However, it is the 8th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Freya was at its peak popularity in December 2019.

Freya is the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. While it's always been popular in the UK, Freya has been on the rise in America, perhaps due to travel writer Freya Madeline Stark and actress Freya Allan. Actor Jake McLaughlin, actors Jason Barry and Nicola Charles, and actress Jennifer Saunders and Adrian Edmondson all chose the name for their daughters, as well. However, it is Freya's mark on pop culture that really has spotlighted the name, as it appears in Merlin, Final Fantasy IX, and The Originals.