Brigit: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Brigit is an Irish girl's name meaning “power, vigour, virtue.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Power, vigour, virtue
- Gender
- Girl
How do you pronounce Brigit?
Brigit is pronounced BRIDGE-id. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Brigit mean?
The name Brigid from brigh meaning “power, vigour, virtue” epitomizes the Irish genius for layering old and new. The main female deity of the Celts, Brigid made the land fruitful and animals multiply, she blessed poets and blacksmiths. Her namesake St. Brigid of Kildare carried her powers into the Christian era. The stories of Brigid's compassion and miracles are told now as they have been for more than 1500 years in every part of Ireland. She is equal in esteem and shares a grave with St. Patrick and St. Columcille. Her feast day, February 1st, is the first day of Spring in the Celtic calender.
How popular is Brigit in Ireland?
Brigit is rare in Ireland. Since 1964, fewer than three baby girls a year have been registered with the name, so it doesn't appear in the Central Statistics Office's baby name tables.
Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 and its girls' names table.
Brigit in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Brigit, letter by letter.
- BBeith, birch
- RRuis, elder
- IIodhadh, yew
- GGort, ivy
- IIodhadh, yew
- TTinne, holly
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Brigit
Questions about Brigit
- How do you pronounce Brigit?
- Brigit is pronounced BRIDGE-id. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Brigit mean?
- Brigit means “power, vigour, virtue.”
- Is Brigit a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Brigit is a girl's name.
- Is Brigit a rare name?
- Yes. Fewer than three girls a year are registered as Brigit in Ireland, too few to appear in the Central Statistics Office's tables.