The baby name Ingridmarries Scandinavian cool with Old Hollywood glam, and plenty of strength, too.
Thanks to Rocking Fetal for suggesting our Name of the Day.
WHAT’S THE MEANING OF THE NAME INGRID?
In an age of flowing, liquid names like Sienna and Ariana, Ingrid has bite.
The name comes from Old Norse. Ing – or Yngvi – was worshiped by Germanic tribes.
He’s a sort of fertility god, and in Sweden and Norway, the kings claimed him as an ancestor.
Ing featured in dozens of names, many of which survive in Germany and Scandinavia today.
Think of Ingmar Bergman, the influential filmmaker and director, or Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck – better known as legendary guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen.
So that’s the first element, but what about the -rid? Turns out it comes from fríðr, whichmeans beautiful, and appears in plenty of other Scandi names: think Astrid and Sigrid, plus Frida.
Make a list of Scandinavian baby names, and Ingrid is almost included.
INGRID RULES
Scandinavian royals have kept the name alive.
Queen Victoria’s great-granddaughter Ingrid Victoria Sofia Louise Margareta was a princess of Sweden, descended from Prince Arthur, Victoria and Albert’s third son.
Still following? Arthur’s daughter, Princess Margaret of Connaught, married Crown Prince Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, and eventually became queen. She was born in 1910. She’d later marry Prince Frederick, the heir to the Danish throne, and become Queen of Denmark.
Today there’s another royal with the name: Princess Ingrid Alexandra, born in 2004, daughter of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. That makes her second in line to the Norwegian throne, right behind Dad.
That would make her the first Queen Ingrid. Or possibly, the second …
INGRID IN FAIRY TALES
Hans Christian Andersen penned his popular fairy tale “The Snow Queen” in the 1840s.
Despite the lovely title, she’s the villain of the piece. The queen kidnaps Kai, who remains her prisoner until his faithful friend Gerda risks all to free him from her icy clutches.
Disney planned to adapt the tale for decades. When they eventually triumphed, producing the mega-hit Frozen, the story had changed dramatically. Instead of Kai, Gerda, and a villainous queen, the story of sisters Elsa and Anna, princesses of Arendelle, emerged. Elsa became both antagonist and victim; her younger sister’s love melted Elsa’s winter-bringing spell.
So popular was the film that ABC’s Once Upon a Time incorporated it into the series’ fourth season. But this time, they gave us the sisters – Anna and Elsa – as well as their wicked aunt, the Snow Queen – also known as Ingrid.
Hans Christian Andersen was born in Denmark, meaning the name would have been familiar. Still, it appears that Once Upon a Time invented this iteration of the character, and her name, too.
Still, Disney has a way of making names stick, so I wouldn’t be surprised if future tellings of the story used this name for the frosty fairy tale queen, too. It’s the perfect name for a fictional character in this story, isn’t it?
INGRID IN HOLLYWOOD
There’s also Hollywood royalty: actress Ingrid Bergman.
Born in Sweden in 1915, her name was inspired by the first Princess Ingrid of Sweden.
The Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-award winning actor is best remembered as Ilsa Lund in 1942’s enduring Casablanca.
But with a career spanning four decades, she played many an unforgettable part, including the title role in Joan of Arc and Sister Mary Benedict in The Bells of St. Mary’s.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME INGRID?
It seems like a few American girls may have been named after the Swedish princess, just like Bergman. The name dipped into the US Top 1000 a few times, charting in 1913, 1916, 1929, and 1935, the year the princess married Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark.
But it took Hollywood to make this name a mainstream favorite.
Bergman’s first American film was 1939’s Intermezzo, a remake of the Swedish version she’d starred in a few years earlier.
In 1940, the name re-entered the US Top 1000 at #896. It stayed for decades
Ingrid peaked at #382 in 1967. Even at the name’s most popular, it lagged behind softer names, the Lisas and Tammys that dominated the decade.
As of 2023, the name was given to just 211 girls, putting it outside the Top 1000. Not obscure, exactly, but far from common. It doesn’t necessarily fit any better with the Emmas and Charlottes of today than it did with previous generations. And really, nothing else sounds like Ingrid.
Or maybe that’s not exactly true. Astrid, fueled by How to Train Your Dragon, ranks higher, coming in at #399. It’s a current favorite for Swedish baby names in the US.
A handful of recent uses include Ingrid Cortez, the super-spy mom in the original Spy Kids movie.
STRENGTH MEETS BEAUTY
If you’re after a strong choice, frills-free, and sophisticated, Ingrid belongs on your list. It mixes the Hollywood glam of Ava or Audrey, with all the strength and gravitas of Eleanor or Iris.
Possible nicknames include Indie, as well as Iggy. Inka is a Finnish form, derived from Inkeri, the Finnish take on Ingrid. While Inga is an independent Old Norse baby name, it could be a pet form of Ingrid, too.
Ingrid is both an authentic Scandinavian heritage choice, and a strong, familiar-but-not-common name for a daughter. That might make it the perfect name for anyone who loves Scandi mythology and legend, as well as enduring, uncommon names.
What do you think of Ingrid? Would you consider it for a daughter?
Originally published on November 9, 2008, this post was revised on May 9, 2018 and November 7, 2024.
I love Ingrid so much! We went full-on old school & with gravitas for our newest daughter: Augusta Ingrid Annemarie. Those were our two longstanding favorites, and despite some more elegant contenders, they won out. Sometimes I still think Ingrid in the first place might have been nice. But her name fits her so and I hope she loves it and wears it well as she grows.
This sounds like it could be a name update …? Congratulations, a beautiful choice!
Imagine being the only known Ingrid on a Caribbean Island in the 1950s. It has served me well because I seem to have been treated as special by people inside and outside of my family. My dad said he was a Ingrid Bergman fan, but I believe it was the uniqueness of the name that appealed to him.
I was never given a nickname until my daughter called me Inggy when she was a toddler. People do seem a bit intimidated by the name because at work and in organized groups they prefer to call me by my last name. I didn’t realize until now that they found it’s pronunciation ” harsh”.
I feel that my name makes me memorable.
I love my name. I was always the only Ingrid in school…or in town for that matter. I’ve gotten so many compliments on my name throughout my life. Although a common remark is “I expected you to be a tall blonde”. Haha I’m a 5’1” redhead. It keeps me rooted in my Scandinavian heritage and it’s a strong name while still being feminine. Especially when everyone around you has a name ending in -ie, -y, -a. It’s definitely for everyone, I understand it sounds harsh to some Americans.
My most common nicknames throughout the years were Ing (bestowed by friends) and Ingy (mostly just as a little one), But most people call me by my full name. Hope that helped if you’re considering for a baby girl.
Our second daughter is due at the end of May. She’ll be Ingrid Ann. We think it works well with her big sister Ava Jean. Lots of class and some sass.
Alana, I think that’s a great choice for Ava Jean’s sister – and I love the way you’ve described it!