Meaning: Its source is Brandr, an Old Norse name meaning "Sword."

Languages: This girl's name is used in English, Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic.

Nicknames: Brenn

Compound Forms: Brendalee, Brendaly, Brendalys, Brenlee and Brenley

Alternative Spellings: Brendah

Variant Forms: Brendell, Brendette, Brendie, Brendyl, Brinda and Labrenda

Popularity: The name Brenda ranked 199th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 31st in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

This name was popular earlier in the 20th century, then fell off in usage, but has begun making a comeback in recent years.

Narrative: In modern English, we speak of a warrior ''brandishing'' his sword -- that is, swinging it in the air as a display of powerful swordsmanship. Both this word and the Old Norse source of Brenda share an ancestor with the English word ''brand,'' meaning to mark by burning.

Linguists theorize that the sight of a sword flashing in the sun gave the impression that it was on fire. This thrilling (or terrifying) sight may have inspired the Old Norse expressions that gave rise to the ancient name Brandr, the modern English word ''brandish,'' and ultimately the name Brenda.