The name Brigitte is of French and German origin, derived from the Old High German word "Brigit," which means "strong" or "exalted." It is a feminine form of the name Brigid, which was borne by several early Irish saints, including Saint Brigid of Kildare.
The name Brigitte gained popularity in France during the 19th century and has since become a popular choice for girls in French-speaking countries. In Germany, it has also been widely used throughout history, with notable figures such as Brigitte Horney, a famous actress from the 20th century, carrying the name.
Brigitte is typically pronounced /briːʒɪt/ in English and /bʁiʒit/ in French. It is often spelled without the final "e" in some languages, appearing as Brigitte or Brigitta. Some variations of the name include Bridget, Brigid, and Bridey.
In terms of popularity, Brigitte has been a common choice for girls born in France throughout the 20th century. According to French statistics, it was one of the top 100 most popular names for newborn girls during several decades from the 1940s to the 1970s. However, its popularity has since declined, and it is now considered less common.
In literature and arts, Brigitte has been used as a character name in various works. For example, French author Jean-Paul Sartre named his protagonist Brigit in his novel "Nausea," published in 1938. Additionally, German writer Thomas Mann gave the name to one of the main characters in his novel "Buddenbrooks" (1901).
Overall, Brigitte is a classic and elegant name with a strong historical background rooted in both French and German cultures. Its meaning, which signifies strength or exaltation, adds depth and character to this timeless moniker.
The given statistics provide an interesting overview of the popularity of the name Brigitte in the United States over a span of eight decades, from 1946 to 2023.
The name Brigitte first appeared on the radar in the late 1940s with five births recorded in 1946. This number doubled by 1948, indicating an early interest in the name. The popularity of Brigitte continued to grow throughout the 1950s, reaching a peak of 33 births in 1957.
The 1960s were a pivotal decade for the name Brigitte. In 1961, there were already over double the number of births compared to the previous year, with 280 births recorded. This upward trend continued throughout the decade, culminating in 288 births in 1965 and 283 births in 1966.
However, the late 1960s marked a turning point for Brigitte's popularity. Although there were still over 200 births each year from 1967 to 1971, the numbers began to decline steadily. This trend continued throughout the 1970s and into the early 1980s, with fewer than 150 births recorded annually.
The name Brigitte experienced a resurgence in popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1988, there were 172 births, and this number peaked at 182 births in 1989. However, this revival was short-lived, as the numbers began to decline once again by the mid-1990s.
The early 2000s saw a brief spike in popularity for Brigitte with over 100 births recorded each year from 2001 to 2004. However, this increase was not sustained, and the numbers dropped below 100 annually by 2005.
In recent years, the name Brigitte has experienced fluctuations in popularity but remains relatively uncommon. There were 96 births recorded in 2012 and 140 births in 2014, but these figures have since declined to fewer than 70 births per year since 2016.
In total, from 1946 to 2023, there have been 9,024 births of girls named Brigitte recorded in the United States. While its popularity has varied over time, Brigitte remains a unique and distinctive name choice with a rich history spanning eight decades.