Girl · #718 in 2026

Bridget

Bridget is an Irish female name derived from the Gaelic noun brígh, meaning "power, strength, vigor, virtue". An alternative meaning of the name is "exalted one". Its popularity, especially in Ireland, is largely related to the popularity of Saint Brigid of Kildare, who was so popular in Ireland she was known as "Mary of the Gael".

  • Irish
  • English
Current Rank
#718
Peak Rank
#112 (1973)
Total Babies
93K
5-Yr Trend
-3%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1973
Peak Year
#112
Peak Rank
93K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Bridget

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Bridget is an Irish female name derived from the Gaelic noun brígh, meaning "power, strength, vigor, virtue". An alternative meaning of the name is "exalted one". Its popularity, especially in Ireland, is largely related to the popularity of Saint Brigid of Kildare, who was so popular in Ireland she was known as "Mary of the Gael".

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Irish
  • English

The Story of Bridget

The earliest SSA record of Bridget as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 35 babies received it. 1973 was its biggest year on record, with 2,763 newborns named Bridget — #112 in the national rankings. About 20% of every Bridget on record arrived during the 1970s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Bridget ranks #718 for baby girls with 394 births, holding steady (-3%). All told, over 93K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Bridget

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Bridget. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Notable people named Bridget

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Bridget Adams (1928–2019), English figure skater
  • Bridget Allchin (1927–2017), English archaeologist
  • Bridget Andrews (born 1993), English jockey
  • Bridget Archer (born 1975), Australian politician
  • Bridget Armstrong (born 1937), New Zealand actress
  • Bridget Atkinson (1732–1814), English farmer and shell collector
  • Bridget S. Bade (born 1965), American judge and lawyer
  • Bridget Barrett (died 1845), Irish murder victim

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Bridget

Phonetically similar names — useful when Bridget is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bridget

What does the name Bridget mean?
Bridget is an Irish female name derived from the Gaelic noun brígh, meaning "power, strength, vigor, virtue". An alternative meaning of the name is "exalted one". Its popularity, especially in Ireland, is largely related to the popularity of Saint Brigid of Kildare, who was so popular in Ireland she was known as "Mary of the Gael".
What is the origin of the name Bridget?
Bridget has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Irish, English.
How popular is Bridget in 2026?
In 2026, Bridget ranks #718 among girls' names in the U.S., with 394 babies given the name that year.
When was Bridget most popular?
Bridget reached its peak popularity in 1973, ranking #112 that year with 2,763 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Bridget most popular?
Bridget has historically been most popular in Louisiana, Vermont, Minnesota. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Bridget.
Is Bridget a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Bridget is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Bridget?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Bridget include Mable, Muriel, Gwendolyn. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Bridget?
Common variants and related forms of Bridget include Bedelia, Biddy, Bidelia, Bríd, Bridgette, Brighid. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Mable
Peak #112
👧
Muriel
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👧
Gwendolyn
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👧
Jackie
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👧
Marquita
Peak #112
👧
Sheryl
Peak #112
👧
Ashlee
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👧
Jordyn
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About the name Bridget

Bridget is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 93K births in the dataset. Bridget's peak popularity came in 1973 when it ranked #112. Use the chart and map above to compare Bridget's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.