Holding steady, #14,942 for girls today.
Popularity of Brynja since 1993
Babies named Brynja per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 6 |
| 2000s | 50 |
| 2010s | 71 |
| 2020s | 21 |
Meaning & origin
Brynja is a distinctly Scandinavian name meaning 'armor' that has found a small foothold in the United States. The name first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1993 and reached its peak popularity in 2008, though never widespread. In 2025 it ranked 14,942, with roughly 1 in 321,453 newborn girls receiving the name, reflecting a stable but low level of use. As a straightforward Old Norse word name, it fits alongside modern trends for short, strong-sounding names inspired by Norse mythology and culture. While it has not been recorded in any top states, its rarity offers a distinctive choice for families with Icelandic or Nordic heritage.
Brynja derives from Old Norse 'brynja', meaning 'armor' or 'mail coat'. It is a direct adoption of the word into a given name, and has been used in Iceland and other Nordic countries for centuries, though it remains rare outside of Scandinavia and among Icelandic diaspora.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bry, Bryn
Variants: Brynje
Sibling names for Brynja
Names that share Brynja's style, for a brother or sister.
