Gudrun
A girl's name of Old Norse origin with 399 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
a female given name from Old Norse
Gudrun is a girl's baby name of Old Norse origin, from the Norse elements guðr (battle, war) and rún (secret lore, magic), meaning 'secret of battle' or 'divine secret.' Gudrun is a major figure in Norse and Germanic mythology, appearing in both the Poetic Edda and the Nibelungenlied.
One of the great heroines of Northern European legend, Gudrun's story of love, loss, and revenge has been told for over a thousand years. D.H. Lawrence also used the name for a major character in Women in Love (1920). Rare in America, it carries extraordinary mythological weight.
EtymologyShow more
Gudrun is cataloged under the Old Norse naming tradition. Names from the Old Norse tradition carry linguistic and cultural patterns that shape their sound, structure, and associations.
In the U.S., Gudrun has been recorded as a girl's name since 1895, with 399 total births. Browse the Old Norse names hub on this site to explore the broader family.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Gudrun has 37+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1895.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10 | #8575 | — |
| 1960s | 10 | #7264 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 6 | #5658 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 11 | #4436 | — |
| 1930s | 11 | #4291 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 112 | #3051 | ▼ |
| 1910s | 179 | #1730 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 49 | #1582 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 11 | #1597 | — |
The Story of Gudrun
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1915, Gudrun is a name steeped in history. Girls named Gudrun are most likely born between 1905 and 1925.
How rare is Gudrun?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Gudrun is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1895, peaked in the 1910s with 179 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Gudrun by the numbers
- Would fill 8 school buses
- Meeting one Gudrun per day would take 1.1 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(37 years, 1895–1972)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 5 | #8720 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8430 |
| 1968 | 5 | #7394 |
| 1964 | 5 | #7133 |
| 1958 | 6 | #5658 |
| 1945 | 5 | #4822 |
| 1940 | 6 | #4049 |
| 1938 | 5 | #4582 |
| 1934 | 6 | #3999 |
| 1929 | 9 | #3238 |
| 1928 | 8 | #3565 |
| 1927 | 9 | #3399 |
| 1926 | 7 | #4040 |
| 1925 | 10 | #3209 |
| 1924 | 10 | #3232 |
| 1923 | 14 | #2527 |
| 1922 | 13 | #2672 |
| 1921 | 17 | #2227 |
| 1920 | 15 | #2396 |
| 1919 | 18 | #2021 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gudrun a boy's or girl's name?
When was Gudrun most popular?
How popular is the name Gudrun?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1895–1972