Hedda

Hedda is a female first name that is regarded as a Scandinavian short and pet form of Hedwig and its Norwegian variant Hedvig.

What does the name Hedda mean?

The name Hedda, a Scandinavian short and pet form of Hedwig and Hedvig, has its roots in the ancient German name Haduwig. Translated, it means 'the fighter', 'the warrior in battle', or 'the fighter in war'. The origin of the name lies in Old High German, derived from the elements hadu, meaning 'the fight' or 'the battle', and wig, which stands for 'to wrestle', 'the fight', 'the war', 'the dispute', or 'the warrior'. The name became famous through Ibsen's drama 'Hedda Gabler' from 1890. Other short forms include Heda, Hede, Hedi, Hedy, Heddi, Heddy, Hetty, Heta, Hete, Heti, Hetta, Hetti, and Hettie. In the Middle Ages, the name gained recognition through the veneration of Saint Hedwig, who is regarded as the patroness of Silesia.

Where does the name Hedda come from?

The etymology of Hedda is Old High German and means 'the fighter'. The composition consists of hadu, meaning 'the fight' or 'the battle', and wig, meaning 'to wrestle', 'the fight', 'the war', 'the dispute', or 'the warrior'. The languages in which the name appears include German, Norwegian, Swedish, and generally Scandinavian.

How do you pronounce Hedda?

The pronunciation of Hedda is two syllables and compact. The name is usually pronounced as 'Hed-da' [ˈhɛda], starting with an open E sound that conveys a certain directness. The doubling of the d enhances the core sound, while the ending '-a' gently fades away. Hedda conveys a Nordic and strong character impression - a name with clear contours and calm presence.

When is the name day of Hedda?

Hedda's name day is celebrated on February 19, July 17, and October 16.

Popularity

In Germany, Hedda is among the popular first names. The name currently ranks 196th on the list of the most common female baby names. In the last ten years, Hedda has been given as a first name about 2,100 times, placing it 302nd in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 346th. The global popularity and frequency of Hedda is reflected in its rankings in various countries over the past years.

Nicknames & pet names

Eddi / Hatschi / Heather / Hedde / Heddi / Heddo / Heddu / Hedi / Hedje / Häädtth

Famous people

• Hedda Andersson (physicist from Sweden)
• Hedda Berntsen (Norwegian freestyle skier)
• Hedda Eulenberg (German translator)
• Hedda Forsten (theater actress from Germany)
• Hedda Gabler (literary character)
• Hedda Goebbels (daughter of the NS propaganda minister)
• Hedda Heuser-Schreiber (German doctor)
• Hedda Hopper (American actress and reporter)
• Hedda Koppe (Swiss actress)
• Hedda Morrison (German photographer)
• Hedda Nussbaum (American writer)
• Hedda Sterne (artist from Romania)
• Hedda Strand Gardsjord (Norwegian footballer)
• Hedda Theen-Pontoppidan (German painter)
• Hedda Vernon (actress from Germany)
• Hedda von Schmid (writer from Germany)
• Hedda Wagner (Austrian poet and women's rights activist)
• Hedda Walther (photographer from Germany)
• Hedda Wrangel (American composer)
• Hedda Zinner (German writer, actress, cabaret artist, reciter, journalist, and broadcasting director)