Hrefna as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Hrefna

What is the meaning of the name Hrefna ?

The baby name Hrefna is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈhrɛvna/ (approx. HREF-nah).

Hrefna is Icelandic, Norse in Origin.

Hrefna is an Icelandic feminine given name from Old Norse, linked to the element hrafn, “raven.” In Icelandic naming it likely arose as a feminine formation or shortened form of compound Hrafn- names, carrying the raven’s associations with keen insight and protection in Norse lore. The spelling preserves the characteristic hr- cluster inherited from Old Norse into modern Icelandic.

The name is attested in medieval literature, most notably borne by Hrefna Ólafsdóttir in Laxdæla saga, which helped anchor it in Iceland’s onomastic tradition. Today Hrefna remains in modest use mainly in Iceland and among the diaspora, while being rare elsewhere. Related variants include Hrafna (a straightforward “raven” feminine) and the compound Hrafnhildur (Old Norse Hrafnhildr, “raven + battle”); forms in other Nordic languages are uncommon, and the Icelandic spelling is typically retained.