Today’s choice combines Scandinavian cool and Old Hollywood glamour.
Thanks to Rocking Fetal for suggesting our Name of the Day: Ingrid.
In the era of Isabella and Olivia, a choice like Ingrid might feel too harsh. But we think that could be her strength. While it’s true that many of today’s most favored names for girls tend towards the feminine, even dainty, consider that choices like Esther and Hazel are gaining in popularity. Ingrid’s edge is the source of her appeal.
Ing was one of the Old Norse gods, the legendary founder of the kings of Sweden. Ingrid is a combination of the god’s name and the word fríðr – beauty. The name has remained in use among Scandinavian royals – and commoners – ever since.
The most famous royal Ingrid was probably the 20th century Ingrid Victoria Sofia Louise Margareta, princess of Sweden, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She married Frederik, the heir to the Danish throne and became the Queen of Denmark.
There’s a small Princess Ingrid on the scene these days. Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway is the daughter of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit – which makes her second in line to the throne, right behind Dad.
But most of us probably think of another Ingrid when we hear the name: Ingrid Bergman, the Oscar, Emmy and Tony-award winning, Swedish-born actress. She’s best known as Ilsa Lund in 1942′s Casablanca. Her career spanned more than 40 years and she’s widely considered a legend.
The actress was named after the first Princess Ingrid we mentioned; perhaps many of today’s newborn Ingrids were inspired by the new bearer of the name. Ingrid is a Top Ten choice in Norway, and ranks in Sweden’s Top 100.
In the US, Ingrid has appeared steadily in the Top 1000 since 1940, just before the actress gained fame. By 1946, she’d entered the Top 500. But Ingrid stood out compared to Patricia and Barbara, Mary and Betty, and that probably held her back. She reached as high as #382 in 1967, but quickly fell out of favor.
Today, Ingrid has regained a few places in the rankings, coming in at #626. We named her one of our 25 Frills-Free Names for Girls.
This could be Ingrid’s moment. Like Ava and Natalie, she has an impeccable Hollywood pedigree; her name has the same throwback vibe that fueled the rise of countless popular choices; and we think that she has an honest strength about her that fits well with other current favorites like Hannah and Abigail. The only real drawback is that she lacks an easy nickname – but that will appeal to many parents, too.
If you’re looking for an authentic Scandinavian heritage choice, you can’t do much better than Ingrid.
Thanks so much for this! Ingrid has become one of my very favorite names. I pray I will be able to use it some day. You summed her up perfectly with “Scandinavian cool and Old Hollywood glamour.” That’s how I see her completely.
I think Ingrid’s neat. She’s not for me, but I can easily see her appeal. She’s strong & spare and has the teensiest clunk.. It makes her cute, in a dark rimmed glasses and birkenstocks sort of way. I thoroughly dig Ingrid. She’s awesome. She is a bit spare in the nickname department, Inga’s all my brain can come up with but honestly, does she really need one? I don’t think so. Ingrid’s lovely all by herself!
RF, I can easily see an Ingrid with your rockin’ boys!
I really adore Ingrid! I went to school with a girl named Ingrid Elsdoerfer. She was a bit German
She went by Reeda sometimes. It sounded a bit like Rita, but a bit more gutteral.
I quite like Ingrid. I used to hate it, but now I can definitely see the appeal. Like Lola said, she’s got the adorable bit of clunk that I like in most of my names. I also really enjoy I names. Hm. I probably wouldn’t use her but would love to see Ingrid on a kid nowadays!
I love Ingrid. Some may think large overbearing women in metal bras, but I think of movie-star cool in a trenchcoat, ala Ingrid Bergman, just like you mentioned. I think she fits right in with all the old-lady chic-ers, but with a tougher edge. I also get a pioneer feel from it…a tad Little House on the Prairie…petticoats, boots, lunchpails and horsedrawn wagons. Anyway, I love it. And I’d salute any parent with the cajones to use it.
Hey, it’s Catherine. I’ve started a new blog, and I wanted to add you to my blogroll, but I’m not sure on the protocol, so I thought I’d ask first. Do you mind if I add you? Thanks!
Catherine, please do & I’ll do the same.
Oh, I love Ingrid! She’s one of those rather harsh-sounding names I find quite appealing (along with Imogen, Gretchen, and Bridget).
Verity – I wrote to you about Brigid, but EmmyJo brought up another interesting one: Gretchen. Please look up Gretchen! Please, please?
I concur, Ingrid is one of the few harsh-sounding names that I really like, lol to Lola’s comments about the Birkenstocks!
I would be really interested in hearing more about Gretchen too…
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Another Ingrid worth mentioning is Ingrid Michaelson, an Indie-Pop artist.
I was just looking up Ingrid for another reason, and there are an awful lot of Ingrids out there – it is a far more global name than I realized when I wrote this post!
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