UK girl's name
Freiya
A feminine name of Norse origin meaning "noble lady".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Freiya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Freiya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5666, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 4 births.
This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2008 to 2018. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 16 living people in the UK are called Freiya. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Freiya ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 4 girls were registered as Freiya.
- • About 16 living people in the UK are estimated to have Freiya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5666
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
2012
4 births
Estimated living
16
2026
Meaning
What does Freiya mean?
The given name Freiya has its origins in Old Norse and is derived from the name of the revered Norse goddess Freyja. Freyja was the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, and her name can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "frawjō," which means "lady" or "mistress."
The name Freiya was commonly used in Scandinavian countries during the Viking Age, which spanned from the late 8th century to the late 11th century. It was a popular name among the Norse people who worshipped Freyja and sought her blessings for successful harvests, prosperous families, and protection in battle.
References to the name Freiya can be found in various Old Norse texts, including the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, which are collections of Norse mythology and poetry. These ancient texts provide insights into the significance of the goddess Freyja and the reverence with which her name was held.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Freiya dates back to the 9th century, when a Norwegian woman named Freiya Thorvaldsdottir was mentioned in the Icelandic sagas. These sagas were written in the 13th and 14th centuries but often referred to historical figures and events from earlier periods.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Freiya. For example, Freiya of Burgos (c. 1175-1240) was a Spanish noblewoman and patron of the arts during the 13th century. Freiya Stærk (1874-1956) was a Danish painter and ceramist who played a significant role in the Arts and Crafts movement in Denmark.
Other notable individuals with the name Freiya include Freiya Kocher (1877-1946), an American opera singer and actress; Freiya von Moltke (1911-2010), a German anti-Nazi activist and member of the Kreisau Circle resistance group; and Freiya Stark (1893-1993), a British explorer and travel writer known for her travels in the Middle East.
While the name Freiya has its roots in ancient Norse mythology, it has endured through the centuries and has been embraced by individuals from various cultures and backgrounds, reflecting its timeless beauty and the enduring appeal of its mythological origins.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Freiya over time
The chart below shows babies named Freiya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Freiya, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Freiya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Freiya was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5404 | 10 | 3 |
| 2000s | #5551 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Freiya
- Freya 50,564
- Florence 32,908
- Francesca 18,752
- Faith 14,325
- Fatima 11,112
- Faye 8,999
- Felicity 8,554
- Frankie 6,977
- Ffion 6,115
- Flora 3,499
- Frances 3,417
- Fatimah 3,065
FAQ
Freiya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Freiya in the UK right now?
In 2018, Freiya was ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Freiya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 4 babies registered as Freiya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Freiya?
A feminine name of Norse origin meaning "noble lady".
How many people are called Freiya in the UK?
A total of 16 babies have been registered as Freiya across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.