Elfriede

Meaning of Elfriede

Pronounced in German as EL-free-deh (/ˈɛlfʁiːdə/), Elfriede is a feminine name of Old High German derivation, its constituent elements alf, “elf,” and rīh(h)i, “power” or “ruler,” implying a semantic fusion of supernatural strength and sovereign authority that found early patronage among medieval Germanic aristocracy. The name retained its cultural resonance through subsequent centuries—emerging in hagiographic records of northern European sanctity and recurring in nineteenth-century German literary Romanticism—before traversing the Atlantic with waves of German immigrants, where in New York State birth records between 1927 and 1937 it registered in the low single digits, peaking at eleven occurrences in 1930 (ranked near 205), thus underscoring its status as a rare but enduring appellation. Such historical depth and measured rarity combine to position Elfriede as an appellation of refined distinction for parents seeking a name at once resonant with heritage and marked by etymological clarity.

Pronunciation

German

• Pronunced as EL-free-duh (/ˈɛlfʁiːdə/)

• Winifred
• Freda
• Frieda
• Alfreda
• Elfrida
• Elfrieda
• Elfreda