The baby name Astrid combines Scandi cool with a long history of use and an offbeat, strong sound.
Thanks to Allison for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
DIVINE BEAUTY
Astrid evolved from the Old Norse Ástrídr. The first element means god; the second, beauty, so the meaning of Astrid is often given as “divine beauty.”
Variant spellings over the years include Æstriðr, Ástríðr, Estrid, Estrith and Astrith.
ROYAL NAME
The name appears on royal family trees from the Middle Ages through the twentieth century.
- The tenth century Astrid of the Obotrites, Queen consort of Olof Skötkonung, King of Sweden.
- Astrid Svendsdatter was a Danish princess from the same era. Her son went on to become King Sweyn II of Denmark. She later married Robert, Duke of Normandy – making her stepmom to William the Conqueror.
- Astrid of Sweden, born in 1905, became Queen of Belgium when she married monarch Leopold III. She was wildly popular, and her tragic death in a car accident at a young age added to her mystique.
- Princess Astrid of Belgium was Queen Astrid’s granddaughter. Born in 1962, she’s now the Archduchess of Austria-Este.
- Princess Astrid of Norway, born in 1932, spent more than a decade serving as official hostess for her father, the King, after her mother’s passing. This royal married a commoner, and was better known as Mrs. Ferner.
FAMOUS ASTRIDS
Thanks in part to the high-profile royals, the baby name Astrid has traveled the world.
You might have heard of:
- Venezuelan telenovela actress Astrid Carolina Herrera Irrazábal.
- Barcelona-born actress Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey played a mermaid in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, though she’s spent most of her career in Europe.
- Brazilian singer Astrud Gilberto. Even if you don’t recognize her name, chances are that you’ve heard her sing – she’s the haunting voice in “The Girl from Ipanema.”
- Astrid Kirchherr met Stuart Sutcliffe back when the Beatles were an undiscovered bar band playing Hamburg. Her photographs of them remain favorites.
- Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren penned the Pippi Longstocking series. Pippi is the fiercely independent, improbably strong and surprisingly sensible daughter of a sea captain, best known for her red braids. (She claims that Pippi is a nickname for Pippilotta.)
BY the NUMBERS
The baby name Astrid remains a staple in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden – a classic heritage choice.
But it’s also been popular in France, sometimes spelled Astride. In recent years, Franco-Belgian detective television series Astrid et Raphaëlle might deserve credit for the name’s appeal.
The real story is the rise of Astrid in the US.
It’s long been used in small numbers, and Astrid first charts in the US Top 1000 in 1905.
But Astrid really started to trend in the 1990s, returning to the US Top 1000 in 1995 and 1996, before leaving again.
The name returned from 2004 to 2005.
Since 2013, the baby name Astrid has marched up the popularity charts, reaching an all-time high of #399 in 2023.
What explains the name’s discovery in the US?
Popular culture, of course.
ASTRID in INDIE MOVIES
One possibility for the 1990s spike? The Beatles’ early history was in the spotlight.
1994 indie film Backbeat included Astrid Kirchherr, played by Sheryl Lee. The actress had just dominated pop culture as Twin Peaks’ doomed Laura Palmer. So even if the movie wasn’t a box office smash, it might’ve gotten enough press to tip Astrid into the rankings – at least briefly.
The 2004-2005 bump in use might be down to an indie movie, too. Dark and distrubing coming-of-age film Thirteen included a character named Astrid. While it’s mostly forgotten now, it was a Sundance award winning and netted an Oscar nomination for Holly Hunter.
VIKING PRINCESS
Fast forward to 2008.
The American adaptation of The Office was a smash hit for NBC. Bumbling manager Michael Scott welcomed a baby with another character, Jan Levinson. Sort of. Michael asks his team to throw Jan a baby shower and tells them that the baby would be named Astird. (Not a typo. That’s what Michael announces his future daughter will be named.)
Michael also insists the name means “Viking princess.”
Not surprisingly, this doesn’t help the name.
But a very different Viking is about to change everything.
DRAGON RIDERS of BERK
British author Cressida Cowell published How to Train Your Dragon in 2003. Sequels followed, with a dozen books released, the final in 2015.
The books follow Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, an awkward boy growing up in the Viking village of Berk. He’s clever and capable, but not in the way Viking warriors are expected to be, and so he’s having a rough time when we first meet him.
But then he meets a dragon named Toothless and everything changes.
In the third book, Hiccup meets a ferocious swordfighter named Camicazi. She’s as brash and fearless as Hiccup is cautious and thoughtful, and the two become unlikely friends.
The book inspired a 2010 animated adaptation. Hiccup remains the main character, along with Toothless, the dragon he befriends. Camicazi is there, too. Only she’s been renamed Astrid.
There’s an immediate jump in the name’s use. And by 2013, the baby name Astrid returns to the US popularity charts at #981.
How to Train Your Dragon hasn’t slowed down since, and the name Astrid has soared, too.
Movie sequels followed in 2014 and 2019. Animated series Dragon: Riders of Berk and Dragons: Defenders of Berk debuted on Cartoon Network in 2012. Other animated series have followed.
Now a live action version of the original movie is in production, expected in 2025. Nico Parker, known for her role in The Last of Us, will co-star as Astrid.
SCANDI COOL with PLENTY of STRENGTH
Strong, brief, and nickname-proof, the baby name Astrid has become a mainstream favorite in the US.
Scandi parents choose nicknames like Asti and Sassa, but chances are an American Astrid won’t shorten her name.
Astrid appeals to parentsseeking something distinctive and interesting, feminine but frills-free, changing from misunderstood import to mainstream favorite.
Right now it remains an intriguing option for a daughter. Familiar, powerful, and yet fresh and different, too.
I equivilate The “Astrid effect” as you call it to the Harry – “harry butts” and See More butts” affect. Its rhyme or catchy. I once knew a family who had a little girl named Libby. Little miss Libby had some weight issue from being a diabetic, but at school she was teased as being “fatty wabby Libby the Libertard/Liberturd.” Kids will say anything to be cool, mean and one up other children for inferiority reason. Its sad. As a child, I was always Winter to the kids, but to the adults, I was the “Hippy Parent’s child or spawn, or that kid from THOSE Hippy Parents.” The oddity of the whole thing, was that my parents we NOT hippies…The adult would never acknowledge that Winter was a real name, and that its dates of use go as far back as the 16th century and the use of the surname dates back to the 9th century.
I love the name Astrid now as an adult. My grandma’s sister was named Astrid, but she went by her unfortunate middle name, Marie. Ick. She was named after a Swedish princess or queen- my grandgrandparents immigrated from Sweden to Michigan. Her similarly named sister were Olive, Frances, and Honor. Another aunt was Arlene, which I don’t consider very Scandanavian royal sounding. My grandfather called her “Assi-turd” and I’m sure that why she went by simple, plain Marie. However, all of my aunts went by their middle names when they had perfectly good first names.