Meaning & History
From
Old Norse Freyja meaning
"lady". This was the name of the goddess of love, beauty, war and death in Norse
mythology. She claimed half of the heroes who were slain in battle and brought them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother
Freyr and father
Njord, she was one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess
Frigg.This is not the usual spelling in any of the Scandinavian languages (in Sweden and Denmark it is
Freja and in Norway it is
Frøja) but it is the common spelling of the goddess's name in English. In the 2000s it became popular in Britain.