Frisian Girl Names
Frisian female names come primarily from West Frisian (Netherlands) and East/North Frisian areas (northern Germany), with strong contact from Dutch and Low German. A defining feature is the use of diminutive suffixes in women’s names, especially -ke and -je/-tje, yielding short, clipped forms such as Imke, Inken, Riemke, and Sylke. Feminine -a and -e endings are also common (Fenna, Saskia, Nele). Many are hypocoristics of older Germanic or biblical names adapted to Frisian phonology and spelling.
Today, Frisian girls’ names are used within Friesland and also in wider Dutch and northern German naming, often favoring brief two-syllable forms. Examples include Fenna, Fenja, Frauke, Imke, Inken, Marrit, Nele, Riemke, Saskia, and Sylke.
| Name | Meaning | Origins | Gender | Popularity (last 10y) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saskia | Saxon; woman from Saxony | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | 364 #1 | |
| Fenna | Peace, peaceful | Frisian | Girl | 91 #2 | |
| Adoerte | Uncertain - possibly 'noble' (from Germanic adal-) or connected to Dorothea/Dorte meaning 'gift of God'. | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Breida | Possibly 'broad' (Germanic) or 'exalted/strength' (if linked to Brigid) | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Fenja | Likely of Old Norse/Germanic origin; often interpreted as 'peace' (via Frisian Fenna) or possibly linked to 'fen' meaning marsh/moor. | Frisian, German, Scandinavian | Girl | — | |
| Frauke | Diminutive of 'Frau' - 'little woman' or 'young lady' | Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Frisa | Of the Frisians / from Frisia (i.e., 'Frisian') | Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Gesine-Lotte | Combines Gesine ('spear/strength' via Gertrude) and Lotte ('free' via Charlotte) - roughly 'strong/free woman'. | Frisian, German | Girl | — | |
| Heike | Diminutive related to Heinrich (Henry) - 'home ruler'. | Frisian, German | Girl | — | |
| Hette | A diminutive of Henriette, meaning 'ruler of the home' (home ruler). | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Imke | Diminutive of a Germanic name meaning 'whole, universal' or 'strong' (related names sometimes carry the sense 'battle'). | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Inken | Little Inga; associated with Ing (fertility/prosperity) | Frisian, German | Girl | — | |
| Itke | Diminutive of Ida/Ita - 'little Ida' (Ida often interpreted as 'industrious/prosperous') | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Marrit | Pearl | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Maryt | Variant of Mary/Maria; ultimately from Hebrew Miriam - often rendered as "beloved" or interpreted as "bitter/sea of bitterness" | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Nele | Diminutive of Cornelia - from Latin Cornelius, associated with 'horn'. | Dutch, Frisian, German | Girl | — | |
| Nien | In Frisian, a short/diminutive form related to Nienke/Nine (linked to forms of Catherine, often interpreted as 'pure'); as a transliteration (Nian/Niên) in Chinese/Vietnamese contexts it corresponds to words meaning 'to think of/remember' (念) or 'year/age' (niên). | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Riemke | Diminutive of Riem - 'little Riem'. Riem may derive from a Germanic personal name or relate to Dutch 'riem' ('strap'); exact etymology uncertain. | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Saskiah | Saxon woman | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Saskja | Saxon woman / from Saxony | Dutch, Frisian | Girl | — | |
| Sylke | Diminutive/variant of Silke/Sylvia, ultimately from Latin silva 'forest' - 'of the forest'. | Dutch, Frisian, German | Girl | — |
Frisian Girls name popularity over time
Aggregated births across United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany for every Frisian-origin name in our dataset.