Freya
Freya or Freyja is an Old Norse feminine given name derived from the name of the Old Norse word for noble lady (Freyja). The theonym of the goddess Freyja is thus considered to have been an epithet in origin, replacing a personal name that is now unattested.
Meaning & Origin of Freya
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Freya or Freyja is an Old Norse feminine given name derived from the name of the Old Norse word for noble lady (Freyja). The theonym of the goddess Freyja is thus considered to have been an epithet in origin, replacing a personal name that is now unattested.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Freya
Freya first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1931, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 2,182 Freyas were born — ranking #129 that year. As of 2026, Freya ranks #144 for baby girls with 2,083 births, rising sharply (+40% over the past five years). In total, more than 22K Freyas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Freya
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Freya Adams , American actress
- Freya Allan , English actress
- Freya Anderson , English freestyle swimmer
- Freya Aswynn , Dutch neopagan
- Freya Black (born 2001), British Olympic sailor
- Freya Blackwood , Australian Illustrator
- Freya Blekman , Dutch professor
- Audrey Freyja Clarke , Icelandic figure skater
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Freya
Phonetically similar names — useful when Freya 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 Freya
What does the name Freya mean?
How popular is Freya in 2026?
When was Freya most popular?
In which U.S. states is Freya most popular?
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About the name Freya
Freya is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1931 and has accumulated 22K births in the dataset. Freya's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #129. Use the chart and map above to compare Freya's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "F" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.