Bridget

Anglicized variation of Gaelic Brighid
"strength or exalted one"

Bridget Origin and Meaning

The name Bridget is a girl's name of Irish origin meaning "strength or exalted one".

Bridget is the Anglicized form of Brigid, an Irish-Gaelic name that was derived from the word brígh, which means "strength."

Bridget is the name of the most famous female saint of Ireland, who became the patroness of her country, as well as patron saint of scholars, poets and healers. Because of her sanctity, the name did not come into common use in Ireland until the seventeenth century, after which it became wildly popular. Bridget eventually came to be used as a pejorative name for an Irishwoman; Irish maids in the early 20th century US were derogatorily called "the Bridgets."

One of the earliest Irish names for girls to immigrate to the USA, Bridget, the most familiar form of the name of the Celtic goddess of wisdom, is still used by traditionalists but also carries some modern spark and a great meaning. Bridget is one of the exclusive group of girl names that mean strong, brave, or powerful.

According to Irish myth, there were three sister goddesses named Brigid: the goddess of poetry, the goddess of healing, and the goddess of agriculture. Most prominent Bridgets today are actresses Fonda and Moynahan, op artist Bridget Riley, and the fictional hapless Bridget Jones—she and her diary the protagonist of four books, three movies, and even a musical.

Irish variants include Brighid, Brigid (as in the devious character in The Maltese Falcon), Bridie, Biddy, Brid and Bedelia.

# 791 in the US

Bridget Rank in US Top 1000

# 289 on Nameberry

Bridget Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Bridget Popularity

Famous People Named Bridget

  • Saint Bridget of Sweden14th century mystic
  • Bridget Cromwell IretonOliver Cromwell's favourite daughter, wife of Major,General Henry Ireton
  • Bridget Jane FondaAmerican actress
  • Bridget HallAmerican supermodel
  • Bridget Christina MarquardtAmerican model and reality TV star
  • (Kathryn) Bridget MoynahanAmerican actress and model
  • Bridget Catherine ReganAmerican actress
  • Bridget Elizabeth SloanAmerican gymnast
  • Bridget MalcolmAustralian model
  • Bridget Monroe Pope (b. 2014)daughter of TV personality Rosie Pope

Bridget in Pop Culture

  • Bridget Jonesmain character in Bridget Jones's Diary series
  • Bridget Vreelandcharacter in the The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
  • Bridget Hennessycharacter on TV's "8 Simple Rules"
  • Bridgetcharacter in movie "Coney Island Baby"
  • Bridget Kellycharacter on TV series "Ringer"
  • Bridgetcharacter in Moms' Night Out
  • Bridget Ticecharacter in the YouTube series "Most Popular Girls in School"
  • Bridget Barsamianmain character in "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead
  • Bridgetgiraffe character in the animated film The Wild
  • Bridget Forrestercharacter in American soap The Bold and the Beautiful
  • Bridgetcharacter in the video game series Guilty Gear
  • BridgetIrish mouse in animated film "An American Tail"
  • Satellizer el Bridgetcharacter from the manga/anime "Freezing"
  • Bridget/Sacha/Sascha/Lola Evanscharacter in the TV series "extr@"