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Bridget

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Bridget (disambiguation).
Bridget
St. Brigid of Kildare inspired the popularity of the name Bridget.
Pronunciation/ˈbrɪdʒɪt/ BRIJ-it
Origin
Word/nameIrish
MeaningNoble or exalted one
Other names
Related namesBriget, Brigid, Brigitte, Birgit, Birgitta, Birgitte, Bridgette, Breda, Breada,

Bridget is an Irish female name derived from the Gaelic noun brígh, meaning "power, strength, vigor, virtue".[1] An alternative meaning of the name is "exalted one".[2] 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". This saint took on many of the characteristics of the early Celtic goddess Brigid, who was the goddess of agriculture and healing and possibly also of poetry and fire. One of her epithets was "Brigid of the Holy Fire".[3] In German and Scandinavian countries, the popularity of the name spread due to Saint Bridget of Sweden.

In the Irish language, the name is spelled Bríd or Brighid, pronounced [bʲɾʲiːdʲ]. In the Scottish Gaelic language, the name is spelled Brìghde, pronounced [ˈpɾʲiːʝtʲə]. At one time the name was so popular for Irish girls that Bridey was used as a slang term for an Irish girl in English-speaking countries. Some Irish servant girls were called Biddie or Biddy by their employers even if that wasn't their real first name. It has been steadily used in the United States throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, though never among the top 100 most popular names for girls. It was most popular in the 1970s, when it ranked as the 153rd most popular name for girls born in that decade in the United States. It was ranked as the 367th most common name for girls and women in the United States in the 1990 census.[4]

People with the name

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Fictional characters

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  • Bridget (Guilty Gear), in the fighting game series Guilty Gear
  • Bridget, supporting character in the film An American Tail
  • Bridget Forrester, in the series The Bold and the Beautiful
  • Bridget Hennessey, the eldest child on the sitcom 8 Simple Rules
  • Bridget Jones, protagonist of the eponymous book series
  • Bridget O'Sullivan, a Season 2 contestant in Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman
  • Bridget Tice, supporting character in the web series The Most Popular Girls in School
  • Bridget Verdant/Mew Bridget, English dub name of Retasu Midorikawa/Mew Lettuce from Tokyo Mew Mew
  • Bridget von Hammersmark, played by Diane Kruger in the film Inglourious Basterds
  • Bridget "Bee" Vreeland, in the book and movie (played by Blake Lively) The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
  • Bridget, the half-human/half-alien child of Harry Vanderspeigle in the sci-fi/comedy series Resident Alien
  • Bridget “Jet” Owens, one of the witchy aunts in the book and movie Practical Magic
  • Bridget “Bibi” Garvey, in the Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters
  • Bridget, aka Lady Glitter Sparkles, a Bergen who works as a scullery maid in the animated film Trolls
  • Bridget, the past version of Queen of Hearts in Descendants: The Rise of Red

Variations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Todd (1998), p. 23.
  2. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, origin and history of the name Bridget". Behind the Name. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b Todd (1998), p. 23
  4. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Popularity for the name Bridget". Behind the Name. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  5. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Names Related to Bridget". Behind the Name. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  6. ^ Manx First Names
  7. ^ Rosenkrantz and Satran (2007), p. 40

Bibliography

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  • Rosenkrantz, Linda, and Satran, Pamela Redmond (2008). Cool Names for Babies. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0-312-37786-1
  • Todd, Loreto (1998). Celtic Names for Children. Irish American Book Company. ISBN 0-86278-556-1.
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