Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Ingrid

Ingrid is an Old Norse name (Ingríðr) meaning “Ing is beautiful” made up of the elements “Ing” (referring to the Germanic mythological god) and “fríðr” meaning “beautiful”. Ing appears to have been an older rendering of the Nordic god Freyr, one of the most important gods among the ancient Norse. He was the “peace and prosperity” god who brought virility, fertility, sunny skies and warm weather. In other words, Freyr brought happy times to the mere mortals and was seen as an ancestor to the Swedish monarchy. In fact, the name Ing is probably derived from the Germanic “ingwaz” meaning “ancestor” and was also seen as an earlier ancestor to the Ingaevones tribe (North Sea Germanic peoples). However, what really propelled the interest in the name Ingrid among English speakers was the beautiful Swedish-born actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982). Ingrid is currently a Top 10 favorite in Norway and is also highly ranked in Sweden. It also shows up on the charts in Catalonia, Spain of all places.

All About the Baby Name – Ingrid

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME INGRID

The number Seven personality is deeply mystical and highly in tune with their spirituality. They operate on a different wavelength than the average joe. Spending time alone comes easily to Sevens, as it gives them time to contemplate philosophical, religious and spiritual ideas in an effort to find "real truth".  Sevens are wise, but often exude mystery as if they are tapped into something the rest of us don't understand. They love the outdoors and are fed by nature. Sevens are constantly seeking to understand human nature, our place in the universe, and the mystery of life in general. This makes them quite artistic and poetic, but they are also keen observers with high intellect - so they are equally scientific-minded. Sevens are charitable and care deeply about the human condition.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME INGRID

Ingrid got a bumpy start in America showing up on the charts intermittently between 1913 and 1940. It was probably used among Scandinavian Americans enough to place her on the charts but with sporadic consistency. Then suddenly a young, stunning actress from Stockholm, Sweden named Ingrid Bergman came bursting on to the American film screen for all to see her mesmerizing, translucent beauty. Not surprisingly, the name Ingrid jumped over 400 position on the charts during the years Ingrid saw great success in American filmmaking – especially with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941), Casablanca (1942), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), Gaslight (1944), The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945) not to mention two Hitchcock films Spellbound (1945) and Notorious (1946). Needless to say, Ingrid Bergman made a major impression in America (and so did her name!) The name Ingrid reached its peak popularity in the 1960s actually, but sadly this Swedish/Germanic charmer has retreated back into the shadows in more modern times. Ingrid is perhaps too ethnically Scandinavian and harsh for American tastes today (similar to Astrid) but she will always remain a stunning beauty with cosmopolitan appeal. A pretty, classy and elegant choice!

Quick Facts

ON INGRID

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

German

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

893

PRONUNCIATION:

ING-grid

SIMPLE MEANING:

Ing is beautiful

Characteristics

OF INGRID

Mystical

Wise

Eccentric

Intuitive

Imaginative

Philosophical

Solitary

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Ingrid

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME INGRID

Ingrid is the girlfriend of Henry DeTamble in Audrey Niffenegger’s best-selling debut novel of 2003, The Time Traveler’s Wife. In our opinion, Ingrid gets a pretty raw deal – Henry is in love with Clare and must wait until her chronological age reaches the appropriate axis of his time travelling – in the meantime, well, one must have a woman handy. That’s perhaps a harsh judgment against the generally good character of Henry (given the exigencies of his oddly directed life), but – really?! Ingrid has the bad luck of falling in love with Henry, who rather coolly dismisses their entire relationship as strictly physical and devoid of true love, such as that he feels for Clare. Ingrid, on the other hand, takes the breakup seriously and falls into a deep depression, even going so far as attempting suicide. Although Henry is aware of this situation, he keeps his distance from her. During one of his uncontrollable journeys through time, Henry drops in on Ingrid, and she asks him if he ever loved her. He (lying) replies that he did, but Ingrid is beyond believing at this point, and turns a gun on herself, finally successful in her mission of killing herself. Poor Ingrid – her character didn’t even make it to the 2009 movie of the novel!

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME INGRID

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Ingrid


Popular Songs

ON INGRID

Prelude to an Epic/Flowers For Ingrid
Eighteen Visions

Ingrid Bergman
a song by Billy Bragg & Wilco

Ingrid and The Footman
a song by Jane Siberry

Dear Ingrid
a song by Nicky Holland

Famous People

NAMED INGRID

Ingrid Bergman (iconic actress)
Ingrid of Sweden (Queen Consort of Denmark)
Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway (royalty)

Children of Famous People

NAMED INGRID

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Ingrid

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME INGRID

Ingrid Bergman was the almost incandescently beautiful star of the screen whose roles stretched from Joan of Arc to Golda Meir; she is perhaps most fondly remembered as Ilsa in the 1942 classic, Casablanca. Ingrid Bergman was already a leading actress in Swedish film when she arrived in America to star in 1939’s American remake of her Swedish movie, Intermezzo. She went on to star in such well-known films as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Notorious, Gaslight, and The Bells of St. Mary’s before going off to Italy to work with director Roberto Rossellini in his 1950 movie, Stromboli. Their adulterous love affair and her out-of-wedlock pregnancy made her a pariah at a time when she was at the top of her game: she was an Academy Award winner and an international star; she was married to a fellow Swede, a surgeon, and was the mother of a ten year old girl. Ingrid divorced her husband, leaving her daughter behind with him, and married Rossellini, making her home in Italy for the next several years. Consequently, she was denounced on the floor of the United States Senate, and in just as serious a move, she was disinvited on the Ed Sullivan show. To the twenty-first century sensibility, this is quite a lot of overkill, but it was devastating at the time. It wasn’t until after her second Academy Award for Anastasia that she returned to the United States, in 1958, having had two more children by Rossellini and having separated from him. By this time all was forgiven, and she went on to numerous stage, screen and television roles, and earning a third Academy Award (for best supporting actress) in Murder on the Orient Express. When she died of cancer at the age of sixty-seven, she was truly mourned by all.