Brynja
A feminine name of Old Norse origin meaning "coat of mail".
Name Census estimates that about 141 living Americans carry the first name Brynja. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Brynja today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Brynja births was 2008 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Brynja. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
141
~ 1 in 2,430,882 Americans
Peak year
2008
12 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2023 SSA rank
#9,732
Tracked since 1993
Popularity
Brynja: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Brynja from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 71 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Brynja by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Brynja during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Brynja
The given name Brynja has its origins in Old Norse, the language spoken by the medieval Scandinavian people. It is derived from the Old Norse word "brynja," which means "armor" or "mail coat." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who possessed strength, resilience, and a warrior-like spirit.
During the Viking Age (793-1066 AD), the name Brynja was likely used among the Norse people who inhabited present-day Scandinavia, including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland. It is possible that the name was also adopted by other cultures that had contact with the Vikings, such as the Anglo-Saxons in Britain or the Rus' people in Eastern Europe.
While there are no definitive records of the name's appearance in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is worth noting that the concept of armor and protection was highly valued in Norse mythology and culture. The gods and heroes of Norse legends, such as Odin and Thor, were often depicted wearing elaborate armor and wielding powerful weapons.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Brynja was a Norwegian noblewoman who lived in the 12th century. She was the daughter of Erling Skakke, a powerful Norwegian nobleman and military commander. Unfortunately, specific details about her life and accomplishments are scarce.
In the 13th century, there was a Swedish woman named Brynja Magnusdotter who was a member of the Swedish royal family. She was the daughter of Magnus Ladulås, the King of Sweden from 1275 to 1290.
Another notable figure with the name Brynja was a 14th-century Icelandic woman named Brynja Þorvaldsdóttir. She was a prominent landowner and chieftain in her region, known for her leadership and influence in local affairs.
In the 16th century, a Danish woman named Brynja Eriksdatter was born into a noble family. She played a significant role in the management of her family's estates and was regarded as a skilled administrator.
A more recent individual with the name Brynja was an Icelandic artist and sculptor named Brynja Sveinsdóttir, who lived from 1888 to 1975. She was known for her innovative use of materials and her contributions to the Icelandic art scene in the early 20th century.
Overall, while not a widely popular name throughout history, Brynja has deep roots in the Norse culture and has been borne by notable individuals, particularly in Scandinavia, over the centuries. Its association with strength, resilience, and warrior-like qualities reflects the values and traditions of the Vikings and their descendants.
People
Brynja + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Brynja as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Brynja: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Brynja?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 141 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Brynja going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,430,882 US residents.
Is Brynja a common name?
We classify Brynja as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 143 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Brynja most popular?
The single biggest year for Brynja was 2008, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Brynja is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Brynja in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Brynja a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Brynja in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Brynja still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Brynja in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Brynja can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Brynja?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.