Brenda
/ˈbrɛn.də/noun
A feminine given name used in English and several other languages.
Did you know?Brenda became widely popular after appearing as a heroine’s name in Sir Walter Scott’s 1821 novel The Pirate, although its deeper origin is uncertain and may connect it with Brendan or Old Norse brandr.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰrendʰ-
“To burn or blaze; a proposed ancestral root behind Germanic words connected with burning.”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*brandaz
“A burning piece of wood, firebrand, or something burnt; a proposed source for the name’s Germanic interpretation.”
Old Norse
Old Norse
brandr
“A firebrand or torch; also a sword or blade.”
Early Medieval Ireland
Old Irish
Brénainn
“The form associated with Brendan, a separate Celtic personal-name tradition that may also have influenced Brenda.”
1821
English
Brenda
“A female given name used by Sir Walter Scott for a character in The Pirate.”
Modern English
English
Brenda
“A feminine personal name, especially associated with English-speaking communities in the 20th century.”